Roots Of A Legend
by Tiigerliily
Summary: Just when Ameena begins to settle down a little, a series of strange events shakes up her world completely. She is introduced to the Gods who once ruled the Island, learns the symbolical meaning of the masks every Islander must wear, and, finally, discovers the shocking secret of her own roots...  Can be read separetely from Arrival of a Legend.
1. Prologue

**Roots Of A Legend**

**Prologue**

5 AM, right after the expulsion of the demon Tsi...

''_Daz... __**DAZ!**_'' a voice echoed from a distance. Not important enough... He had bigger concerns...

Like, where the fuck was he? All he could see were grey, swirling streams of energy... All he could feel was the benumbing cold... He was so damn lucky for not having blood running through his dead veins. It would've frozen instantly, especially on that place where it would've reached the surface, his huge, huge, stab wound...

''_Daz... Daz, Daz, __**PLEASE**__!_''

Who on Earth did wanted to bring him back so badly? Who the hell could have love for a ferocious piñata reaper? Wouldn't anyone prudent let him perish here, in purgatory?

''_DAZ, I REALLY NEED TO BRING YOU BACK!''_

But why?

''_Dastardos... Dastardos-s...''_ the voice cried. ''_I-I c-can't l-lose you..._''

Wait. That idiotic way of stuttering... _**DOC PATCHINGO?**_

If his face wasn't palsied, he would smirk. Doc Patchingo wanted to save the piñata reaper, the reason that more than half of his patients died unnesessarily. What a joke.

''_... Daz... Daz..._'' The echoes faded away... This was the end. His last junction with the World of the Living: gone.  
>No, he didn't mind, he knew from the beginning of leaving Stardos and becoming Dastardos, that he couldn't go on like that eternally. This body was empty; no organs but his heart, lungs and brain, brittle bones and veins with no blood running through them. Plus, he'd lost quite a bit of his sanity... That... was... no... life...<p>

''You know that **I **would never give up on you'' Patch whipered as he saw the piñata reaper giving up on himself. ''Come on, Dastardos! I'm a doctor, I can help you!''

He truly doubted that himself...

After the expulsion of that ferine, sibilant demon - or whatever it was! - he fortunately had found that Dastardos' sould was still... among us.

But it had suffered heavily from the dark force's infiltration, it was so... scarred, so weak that it couldn't seem to manage to get back to that point where it could take _control over Dastardos' brain and body again... _

It was horrible. Dastardos' was balancing on the edge of brain death!

Not that his body was doing great, though... His spine was damaged from the pierce of the Sour Spear, as Patch called his selfmade weapon now... It was horrible.  
>Luckily Dastardos floated, if he walked like ordinairy people did, he would be wheelchair bound for the rest of his life, just like his father Jardineiro...<p>

Damn, it wasn't even sure if there would BE a rest of his life!

Patch looked at the monitor that displayed Dastardos' heartbeat. Weak. Even weaker than before... But it was still there. Good.

It was time to live him up a little. Time for the AED.

Great Gods, he hated to use this thing! It gave him the creeps... The idea of sending electric shocks running through someone's body just felt weird... It reminded him of capital punishment, eventhough he needed to do this to SAVE one's life...

''D-d-don't w-w-w-worry D-dastardos... T-this wont h-h-h-hurt...'' Patch stuttered as he unpacked the device.

He hoped no one else in the Village would get heart problems in the coming months, this was the last AED he had in stock, and it took ages to get them shipped to Piñata Island! Oh, what if...

No. He needed to calm down... calm down. Calm down.

One. Two. Three. GO!

Patch putted the AED on Dastardos' pale, bony chest. No way the reaper would survive this... His body was too weak! Gods... He should've used a milder method for this patient, CPR or such...

''Dastardos! Hold on!'' Patch screamed desperately, as the electric waves were running through his patient's emacuated body. ''Whatever you do... Don't let go!''

''_Don't __let __go... __Don't __let __go... __Don't __let __go..._''

AH! A burning - no, a crackling, electric pain quivered through his entire body, starting in the middle of his chest... Another wave or electricity rushed through him, he tried to gasp, but he couldn't. He was too weak... He... his lungs, his brain, his...  
>From the organ that had once been his cold, depraved heart was nothing left but a dry, tough, <em>dead<em> piece of meat.

For a moment, the situation seemed hopeless. Dastardos, the wicked, intriguing, legendary figure was no longer. And Patch was about to break down emotionally.

Great Gods, the bleak, frigid 'beeeeeep' of the heart monitor made him want to pull his hair, and cry and how like a madman! It would've been better if his heart would've stopped right in time with Dastardos'...

He had lost a patient! He had lost the most important patient he had ever had and would ever have in his little clinic! He was such a failure, he...

What, what the..? Were his ears deceiving him, or..?

Was he lying to himself or had the beeping sound stopped, and had the surge that represented the heartbeat appeared again?

''Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes!'' Patch couldn't help but cheer out loud. ''The patient's still with us... Oh, Dastardos! I knew that you would fight for your precious undead life... I love you! Not in a homosexual way of course, I'm just very fond of you, I...'' He better stopped twaddling. He had heard countless stories of unconscious patients who saw and heard EVERYTHING that happened in their rooms, despite their conditions...

''Good job, Dastardos'' Patch chuckled as neutral as he could. ''I think... I think you'll do fine from now! I'm sure your recovery will run very swiftly!''

With those words, Patch walked out. After this grueling night, he was in serious need of a hot, steamy mug of caffeine!

Not more than seven minutes later. Patch had finished his coffee quickly, 'cause the uncertainty on how Dastardos was doing was killing him.

''I'm back, Daz'' he whispered amiable. Despite his weariness, he was in a great mood. Those nights that you both expelled an ireful demon and saved the life of a notorious piñata reaper were pretty rare, after all...

But that good mood didn't last long.  
>Patch's jaw dropped and he froze instantly as he saw... No. No, that was impossible!<p>

The bed where Dastardos had laid in less then ten minutes ago, was now messy, unmade and _empty._


	2. Mellow Wolves

**Mellow Wolves**

Takes place on a Wednesday night, 3 weeks after Ameena´s Mask Ceremony.

No... Not again! This was utterly ridiculous!

The past two weeks, Ameena had found herself waking up in the middle of the night... And in the middle of the garden! Despite the fact she clearly had a house right now... _Something _made her end up outdoors, over and over again!

''I guess this means I'm born to be wild, then'', she giggled, slightly concerned about the fact she apparantly was a sleepwalker... She had never encountered such problems before, she hadn't ever sleepwalked in any of the 17 years of her life!

Just when she was trying to get up - just to walk back home to lay down again! - she felt something... soft, something moist, but still papery in the back of her neck...

''Wraf! Heh, heh!''

Something... barked and panted straight into her ear. Something that certainly wasn´t a Barkbark!

Ameena was an expert when it came to Barkbarks by now. A week and a half ago she'd finally managed to attrack one, and it'd been her most loyal piñata friend ever since.  
>She had called him Bouncy - after the cute and bouncy way he tended to jump when he barked! - and he'd never deviate from her side during the daytime!<p>

During the nighttime, though, he would withdraw in his little Barkbark house to rest from his exhausting day as an over-active puppy... When that dog was asleep, not even a meteor inpact would wake him up! Totally no watchdog...

She loved him just the way he was, but now she wished he could just be a little more alert at night... She had nocturnal visitors, and she had no idea if those had good intentions!

Ameena took a deep breath as she forced herself to turn her head... Yes. Oh Gosh. Excactly what she´d expected...

Two Mallowolves were staring at her, with those big, expectantly eyes little kids had when it finally was 'Santa time' again. Their huge pink tongues were hanging half out of their mouths, and Ameena was slightly surprised that their breath wasn´t loathful... It was pretty good, actually, did she catch the scent of candy canes there?

''Good Mallowolfs!'' she said cautiously. ''Good, good Mallowolfs...''

Perhaps they would believe they were good Mallowolfs is she told them they were?

''Wraf!'' The one standing closest to her barked again. He seemed enthiusiastic! Well, that wasn't an emotion she needed to worry about!

''What's up, you little Mallowolf?'' Ameena cooed, as if she was not dealing with cold-blooded killer piñatas. ''You's a cute little Mallowolf! Ya! You´s such a sweetie pie...''

It took her a few seconds to gain the courage, but she nevertheless found herself petting the big, light blue wolf between its ears.

''You have such rough fur! You look so much more cuddly than you actually are...''

The Mallowolf howled in agreement. He knew he looked as cute and innocent as a young Bispotti!

''You're the cutest little Mallowolf I've ever seen... Oh! And you're just as cute, of course!''

She had totally forgotten about the other wolf piñata. She assumed that one was female, because it had a bright pinkish color... Then she slapped her forehead for thinking that way. Piñata´s didn't have genders! How could she forget about that, it was about the first thing Doc Patch had ever told her!

''You look special'' she murmured, as she reached out to pet the pink one too.

Ameena had her doubts about the couple. They obviously belonged together, wether this was because they had Romanced with each other or 'cause they were siblings... Then there was also the possibility they were from the same pack, Mallowolves lived in packs, right?

Suddenly she felt the urge to slap her forehead again. These Mallowolfs were tame! They had color, they weren´t black/white like wild piñatas were! No wonder they were so calm and cuddlesome! But who did they belong to?

This situation was getting weirder and weirder... Waking up in the middle of her garden to find two tame, variant Mallowolfs!

The pink one howled indignantly. Ameena didn't know why for a second, but then she realized it must've been because she'd stopped petting. She quickly started again. You never knew how good these 'good' Mallowolves were if you didn't give in to their every wish.

''Oh, yes, you're a very sweet wolve! And... Oh.'' She saw the light blue one watching them in the most piteous way and used her other arm to stroke under its chin, where its paper fur coat was slightly thicker and softer. She sighed. ''How many times, do I have to tell you that you're a sweet little wolve?''

What was she supposed to do with those Mallowolves? They obviously liked attention, so they most probably had an owner who spended loads of time on them...

''Tomorrow morning - or; this morning, I guess we've passed midnight by now - I'll take you guys to the Village! I'll unfortunately have to leash you, but you're okay with that, right? I'll ask around if anyone reconizes you - and that must be! You are such pretty wolves! - and then you'll get back to your loving owner again... He or she must be very worried about you!''

''Arhwhoowhoowhoowhoo!'' The blue Mallowolf howled as it shook its head. That didn´t sound like very eager to get back to whoever he belonged to... Would this go the same as with Katchie, the soaking wet baby Kittyfloss she had found on the border of her garden in the middle of a rainstorm? She hoped not! As much as she´d like to have such high-leveled piñatas in her garden, she had no idea how to nurture them!

Like, what in the world did they eat? Barkbark snacks would not suffice, would they? And no way she had the money to buy them a house, piñata houses were more than half a piñatas value! She had no idea what Mallowolfs were worth, but probably ten times as much as she had in her wallet!

She'd made quite a few big expenses lately, varying from investments in over-priced 'special´ fertilizer to an uneccasary collar for Bouncy... She couldn´t help herself, it just looked so adorable on him! And ´cause she'd felt bad for not getting Katchie anything - he was a domestic piñata too, after all - she´d bought him a bow tie.

''Listen, you gotta understand that I can't keep you guys...''

''Arhwhoooo!'' the pink Mallowolf howled now. How on Earth was she going to get rid of these..?

''Whooohoohoohoo!'' the blue one fell in. It cocked its head in a strange angle. The pink one did the same.

What the..? This was getting more and more absurd! What was wrong with these Mallowolves..? What was up with the strange movements they were making?

Suddenly, the penny dropped. Argh, of course, she could've noticed before!  
>The Mallowolfs wanted to show her something... They wanted her to follow them in the direction their noses pointed!<p>

''Okay then...'' Ameena said with a trace of hestitation in her voice.  
>''If that makes you guys happy...''<p>

The Mallowolves started to howl more enthiusiastically, and as soon as Ameena got up from the soft, dewy grass, they ran away with such a speed they were not easy to keep up. Ameena however stretched her legs and arms a bit - sleeping on the ground gave the worst muscle ache ever! - and jogged after the impatient Mallowolves that had taken the lead.

They were pretty far away from her by now.

That something that they wanted to show had to be really important... She didn't know much about Mallowolves, but Leafos had told her that after you've tamed them from Sour-ness, they were the most calm and relaxed piñatas ever.  
>Except for Newtgat's perhaps, but those little salamanders were downright lazy...<p>

''Slow down a bit! Please!''

Of course Ameena's eyes weren't as good as those of nocturnal piñatas, and eventhough she knew the area surrounding her garden pretty well, she had a pretty hard time moving ahead when the dim moonlight was her only source of lighting... They'd strayed pretty much from her reconizable territory, moreover. Those wolves were running fast...

''Stop! I can't keep up!'' She couldn't even see the Mallowolves anymore... Where the heck were they?

''Arwhooooo!''

The howling sound made it easier to detect the animals... Oh, Gosh, that sounded quite far away... Where in the world had they gone to? They were near some... Rocky area, overgrown with weeds and tough, dark bushes...

''Wait! I can't keep you up! Please...'' Ameena managed to say after two more minutes of running.

Of course talking English to wolves was reasonless... But Ameena had kind of expected them to answer her call... They didn't!  
>Had they wandered to far away from the girl to hear her? Were they too enthiusiast to pick up any sound at all? Or had they suddenly lost their interest in the Ameena, would they get distracted thát easily?<p>

''Wolves? Wolves? Mallowolves, please!'' she gasped as she came to a standstill.

No answer. No howling at a distance, no barely audible cries, nothing. She'd lost them.

''Okay... I'm going home then!'' she said admonishly. Pity that she'd lost track of the Mallowolves - following them could've been very interesting! - but she had to catch up on some sleep... Waking up outside in the middle of the night regularly isn't exactly good for your rest, after all. ''No more running around in the darkness for me!''

''I agree!'' she heard unexpectedly. ''I call it a night!''

''Huh?''

''Oh... You can't see me, of course! Let me come out of the shrubbery...''

A thin, relatively short man with a huge sombrero stepped out of the bushes. He had an amused smirk on his mask.

''Bart!''

''Ameena! I never considered you the type to run through the wilderness masklessly, and certainly not at this hour of night...''

Redness spreaded over Ameena's dark skinned cheeks as she realized that she had taken her lovely pink Tigermisu mask off when she went to bed last evening... Of course she hadn't been wearing it when the Mallowolves woke her up!

''Don't you worry'' Bart tried to ease her. ''It's pretty dark and an old guv like me can hardly see at night... Now that I think about it, surrounding gardeners should really install some lampposts around here... It's so hard for us merchants to find our way to the more remote gardens... Anyways - what brings you here?''

Ameena didn't know what to answer. 'Oh, two crazy colored Mallowolves... They wanted me to follow them, and I was like - shit, lemme give it a shot!'

''I don't know!'' She giggled Goobaaishly. ''I mean, I suppose I am a sleepwalker...''

''A sleepwalker! How interesting... Or does it bug you to wake up somewhere way different than where you went to sleep? If so, I know a great recipy against sleepwalking, all I'll need is a piece of garlic...''

''No... Thank you.''

Ameena appreciated the good man's helpfulness, but she was not a big fan of garlic... And she was convinced that there was something way different than sleepwalking going on with her.

''Oh, don't you worry, a talented frequently praised Tinkerer like me can hide the taste of a little garlic just fine... Wait...'' His masked clouded in such a way it could even be seen in the murkiness... ''You aren't a sleepwalker, are you?''

Ameena shook her head.

''Can you tell me why you are here, then? You don't seem like a criminal type of person to me... But you're certainly no sleepwalker either, so don't fall back on that excuse lady!''

Ameena bit her lower lip. If she told Bart about the Mallowolf-event... would the whole Village find out tomorrow? She didn't want that to happen! People would think she were crazy... Lottie would give her funny looks every tine she walked into the store, Petula - who was overly bland to her now - would start mean rumours about her, and Patch... What the hell would Patch think? That she was suffering from schiziophrenia and that she had made up two little Mallowolf friends?

NO! She did NOT want that to happen!

''Tell me, Ameena, why are you here? Don't you know that dangerous piñatas and... _other things _are wandering in the bushes surrounding us as we're talking right now... Why are you taking such a risk?''

''Well...'' she sighed. ''Bart... can you keep a secret?''

''Sure I can! I swear on the craft of Tinkering that I can, Ameena'' he said. ''As long as it is not all too disturbing'' he added giggly.

''I don't think it is... Bart...'' Ameena took a few minutes on considering how to formulate this... remarkable situation delicately. Then she plucked enough courage to say: ''Recently, I've been waking up in my garden quite a few times... I mean; not in the house that Willy built me, literally in my garden... Tonight, something even stranger happened... Two _Mallowolves _were bending over me as I awoke, and, well... They were... tame, but they weren't purple-y grey like most tame Mallowolves are... One was some... sort of light blue and the other one was pink... They were very friendly, but they made funny... gestures, with their heads, as if they wanted me to follow them... I did, but they were moving to fast so I lost track of them... As you can see.''

Bart remained silent. For too long for Ameena to cope.

''What? Do you think I'm crazy now?''

The Tinkerer shook his head, the brim of his hat flapping with the movement.

''Not at all, young lady! I just think... I... This situation is remarkable.''

''I know, right? But what in the world could this mean?''

Bart began to do sentry-go, while throwing in a few assumptions. ''It is pretty obvious they want to show you something really badly... But we can only guess what that is, if we know who these _Mallowolves _are... And I...'' A worried expression appeared on the man's mask. ''I have a hunch... No... Well, there do happen more outta-the-way things in the Village and environs lately... You know, the 'Dastardos Incident'...''

The mentioning of the Dastardos incident sent shivers down Ameena's spine. The piñata reaper that first got possessed and then just disappeared still horrified her, especially because she'd been witness of the first part of the story... Tsi - the demon that'd token over Dastardos' body - had tried to kill her and Seedos, after all. Luckily the amazing doctor Patchingo came around to save them...

''Ameena, I think I know who these Mallowolves are and what they wanted to show you tonight. But please don't freak out when I tell you what I think it is...''


	3. Islander's Myth: The Rise Of Platia

**Islander's Myth: The Rise Of Platia (Told By Bart The Tinkerer)**

_''A long, long time ago, back when ordinairy people built temples for the extra-ordinairy Gods they worshipped, there lived a Priestress called Platia._

_Platia was a Keeper of the Moon Temple, domain of the Moon God Bulan, one of the most important Gods of that time. It was a great honor to serve him, but Platia had a horrible time in the Temple..._

_Her fellow Priestresses would always bullied and looked down on her. This was because most of them were powerful; they were capable of casting magic spells, could float a few metres above the ground and were able to create diamonds with their bare hands... Platia possessed none of these talents. _

_Fortunately, there was one bright spot in her life. Her burden would get a little less heavy whenever she was sent off high up in the mountains to collect important herbs and spices, one day per week in the early morning. Most other Priestresses thought that as a tedious job; getting up by the break of dawn just to walk an awfully long and dangerous mountain path and gather plants along the way - and that's why Platia was chosen to do it. _

_If she accidently fell in a ravine, it wouldn't be much of a loss to the temple._

_Platia was a very skilled climber though, and instead of fallen of a cliff she'd fallen in love with the wildlife she saw on her mandatory walks. The colorful moving creatures were much of a refreshment after having seen nothing but the dark grey brick walls of the Moon Temple._

_Colorful? Wild piñatas? Yes! _

_We should not forget that in this period of time, all piñatas had their bright colors, even those that were 'wild'. Tame piñatas hardly existed back then, since there were hardly any gardeners... Domestic piñatas were the only ones that the Villagers dared to keep, others were considered far too dangerous - or, in most cases, just a waste of time. What in the world was you going to do with a Jameleon? Such a thing yielded nothing!_

_Platia was one of the first Islanders that had heart for non-domestic piñatas.  
>Syrupents, Mothdrops, Lickatoads and other piñatas that were usually given the cold shoulder - or even worse, the cold blade of the spade! - came to Platia whenever she was near.<br>It's uncertain why, but they seemed to enjoy her presence. And she enjoyed theirs just as much. She would watch the piñatas closely, talk to them and even pet them._

_At that time - it must've been somewhere in the late 1500's - human having such a close bond with piñatas was very uncommon. Not only on Piñata Island, if you look at late medieval Europe you can see that wild animals weren't considered as anything but a plague. People just didn't like other species than theirselves - they even detested variants of their very own race! _

_However, the most remarkable thing about Platia wasn't her love for piñatas, but the piñatas' love for her. Platia had no idea about this in her mountain-walking years, but she was a revolutionist in both human's and piñata's religion... _

_It all started with - and I suppose you can see this coming - Mallowolves. And with one pack in particular, the Canda. _

_The Canda was an exeptional pack. Strangely, they mainly existed out of variants, without even having eaten any blackberries or pots of marmalade. _

_They seemed superiour to their ashy-purple peers, they were gifted with great communication skills and outstanding intelligence. Just like with all Mallowolves, their pack was a little 'society', but theirs was far more advanced than the average group of piñatas. They'd built their very own Village..._

_This 'Village' is nothing but another myth nowadays, but I can assure you - it's real. And actually it isn't all that far into the wild, it's should be pretty easy to reach from here if you know what to look for... I've never found it; but old scrolls say that it's located in one of those caves relatively near your garden..._

_I fear that Canda Village's become abandoned after the disappearance of Platia and her fellow... No! We're anticipating... Let me tell you more about this legendary place._

_At its heyday, Canda Village must've been magnificent. There are few eyewitnesses, but one of those was a very skilled writer called Girasol - the Herodotus of Piñata Island - and he described the small city as 'breathtaking, unbelievably well-built and with a slightly terrifying beauty'. _

_He also mentioned all the pink, sky blue and silvery Mallowolves running around, carrying various objects and goods between their huge, destructive jaws as if they were graceful, delicate hands... The architecture of the buildings they lived in was marvelous - nothing like those dark, gloomy wolf-shaped caves their less-developed congeners still use as their homes by now..._

_No, the Canda used actual bricks. Bricks they had baked in ovens and colored with red and yellow ocher. The buildings had actual door posts and windows, but the doors and plates of glass were left out.  
>The edges of these openings though, were decorated with blue glaze detailing - the Gods know how thumbless creatures ever managed to create something as complicated as that!<em>

_But this wasn't the most baffling thing to mister Girasol. To most piñatas, houses are just places for them to sleep and romance in. The Canda on the other hand gave their buildings more worthy and noble purposes. _

_Temples, community centres, archives and musea. The Canda had it all, and they kept the strangest things! Crystal skulls you might've seen in Inca movies - Islanders used to make the same to honor their Gods of Death -, gems, pearls, jewelry, idols and undefined magical objects... Historians think the Canda'd stolen them from humans, but I'm not as sure about that._

_We must not forget that the Canda were masters of architecture, that's said to have been the foundation of their culture. It was what distinguished them from submissive piñatas... So, why no sculptry, why no smithery? It is even known that these Mallowolves had their own script, paterns they made by scratching their lovely claws in wet tablets of clay..._

_Anyhow, I think you've heard enough about the Canda to figure out these Mallowolves you saw tonight were most probably... descandants of the ancient pack, heirs of the superiour. The Gods know what they want from you..._

_What they wanted from Platia back in the day, is crystal clear though. _

_Except for her love for piñatas, Platia kept another secret. Eventhough she was born to serve him, she was NOT faithful to the Moon God Bulan!_

_Platia had absolutely no magical talent, but she was an extremely intelligent young lady. She'd taught herself how to read at the age of six, and not only was she exceptionally bright, she was also very brave._

_The chief Priests and Priestresses of Bulan kept a register deep, deep under the foundations of their Temple. Top secret scrolls were stored down there, files that described how certain important rituals were supposed to be performed, lists of magical artifacts the Temple possessed and the names of all Priests and Priestresses that had ever abided in the sanctuary of the Moon God - organized by date of birth, rank and date of death._

_But, none of these things ever woke Platia's curiousity. _

_More important writings were stored in the sinister cellar of the Moon Temple... Documents that contained detailed descriptions of the Moon God, information only the Upper Priest and Priestress had access to. _

_Platia had known from a very young age that she'd never manage to participate in the 'Talk Ceremony', a ceremony in which a powerful Shaman created a small portal between the regular World and Neragua - World of the Gods - in order to speak to Bulan, ask him questions and behold his legandary figure... _

_Platia was dying to know what this supreme entity was like, though! From her baby years she'd heard stories about his great deeds, his great powers and his great appearance. _

_She imagined Bulan to be the salvator of all poverty and misery she'd seen on the streets. She thought that Bulan was the one that would help the maimed, disabled and metally incapable people that were dying in the gutters every day._

_There were a lot of those people, and their pain was intolerable to Platia._

_The people we are talking about couldn't care less, though. Not only were they used to suffering every day, they also didn't have the intellect to be worried about their situation. _

_Yes, they were hungry, pestered by poverty, filth and unknown entities... But that was life they knew, life they were okay with, the life their creators had conferred them._

_Anyhow, that one night Platia had sneaked off all way down, she had read a few old rolls of parchment by candlelight. Her heart must've beat loudly - if anyone ever catched her in the Sanctuary of Data, she would not only lose her postion as a Priestress, she would also be executed before the dusk of dawn... She knew that all too well._

_What controlled her more than her fears and nerves, were the surprisement and dissappointment in the contents of the rolls... _

_It's not for sure what was written on these ancient things, but we do know that Platia found out that her 'salvator' Bulan knew about the people's horrifying conditions, that he even encouraged it and that he - and his fellow Gods - had hired the Priests and Priestresses to take their place, and rule their twisted stratocracy..._

_He used their misery and helplessness to maintain his autority over them._

_Platia was furious. Right after she found out this cruel truth, she swore an oath to herself that she wouldn't contribute to the evil and wrong system anymore... She had no idea how but she would escape from the Moon Temple, she did no longer want to be a pawn of the tyrants. _

_She had to devise a plan, though. A well-thought, watertight, delicate but drastic plan._

_She couldn't think of anything that was in her power. She stood alone in this, not only was she punishable for knowing secret information, nobody in the rotten Village she lived in would agree on her views._

_Luckily for her, the Canda had been watching her for a while. They knew what she was about. She shared countless similarities and viewpoints with the pack, and the pack needed a leader..._

_The Canda didn't have an alpha male like regular packs did. No, they were a democracy-like community - which worked very well and created a peaceful atmosphere, but now that the wolves wanted revolution... They needed someone to take the lead, perhaps someone that was not a Mallowolf._

_Really, the Canda had tried to appoint males and females from their own group as the leader. It just never worked out... There were several reasons why not; but the most important struggle was probably that the Candas' main goal was to bring the Temple down, they needed an insider, someone who knew what the Templars did and hwo they could be distracted or... liquidated, if necessary._

_Not more than a week after her discovery, Platia randomly found a silvery blue Mallowolf in her cell, at night... She was stunned; she'd never seen such a thing as a Mallowolf - but she fell instantly in love with it. Not in an inappropriate way, of course._

_Eventhough she was happy with her fluffy visitor, she wondered how it'd managed to get in... The Moon Temple was one of the most secured. Armed guards were everywhere, no outsider would get through alive, not even a piñata._

_Later she found out that the animal must'd crawled its way through one of the shafts... _

_The Mallowolf somehow got Platia outside, how is uncertain. As soon as the girl felt the cool, moist grass under her bare feet, she burst out in exultation. She immediately looked up. She'd never seen the nightsky before and the wide collection of silver lights was downright magical to her. _

_There's said in an old scription, that she muttered 'This must be heaven!' when a cloud shifted away and the moon appeared. Funny as it is, at that point she didn't realize that she was looking at the thing she'd worshipped all her life... _

_Then, when she looked down, she noticed there were two other Mallowolves standing next to her. A sky blue and a pink one... _

_She didn't get much time to stare at the nocturnal lights. The two other Mallowolves - who were said to be pretty juvenile - started to bark and jump around impatiently. _

_They were excited. They'd finally found their leader, and they'd been waiting for so long!_

_The older Mallowolf growled at them. How did they dare to act as brutal in front of the Alpha?_

_Despite their inappropriate behavior, he agreed with the youngsters about the haste of the situation. The rest of the pack was dying to meet Platia too!_

_So, the wolves simply set course to their secret destination in the mountains. It must've been a terribly difficult run to Platia - she wasn't quite used to the darkness, neither was she really fit enough to keep up with her jolly guides. _

_They made it, though. The Gods know how. _

_They made it before dawn fell in._

_Platia must've felt like a Princess when the city gates of Canda City opened... According to the legend, dozens and dozens of Mallowolves were waiting for her, their huge pink tongues hanging out of their mouths, all panting expectantly and hopeful. _

_That's what I call a warm welcome!_

_But not only the inhabitants were impressive, she must've also been wonderstruck by the city's buildings. I've already described them to you, but especially during that time of history such architecture was only used for Temples and governmental buildings. No way an ordinary scavenger could afford a house with brick walls - let alone with mosaic detailing!_

_The Mallowolves couldn't speak. Regardless of their intelligence, they remained piñatas, creatures without vocal chords. Communicating on a high level with those wolves would've been impossible to most people..._

_Well, not to Platia! There's no actual evidence or explanation to this... But the story goes that because she was elected by the Canda to guide them, she was instantly gifted with the ability to communicate telepathically with them. Like I said; there's absolutely no evidence to this theory, she might've just been very talented at reconizing piñata's facial expressions and body language._

_After the reception, there followed a Welcome Ceremony - which is kind of similar to your Mask Ceremony, but keep the fact in mind that people didn't wear masks that much back in time... let alone Mallowolves! _

_The Welcome Ceremony consisted of a short parade to the City's Well, a small well in the centre of the village. Water from it was given to drink to Platia, and her hands and feet were washed in it too. The most noteworthy thing though, was how the wolves gave Platia a small, silver crown with inlaid sapphires, the ultimate symbol of her newly retrieved leadership of the Canda Clan..._

_It gives me shivers to know that there once was a piñata civilazation as politically developed as the Canda! And no, they were not the only one, but I don't want my rambling to get longer than it already is! You know, I could go on hours and hours about... Never mind!_

_What happened after the Welcome Ceremony is kind of vague. Both the storybook and official versions skipped quite a period of time after this..._

_Let's jump to the next major occasion. _

_I think this happened a month or five after Platia's coronation... _

_The Canda and Platia had set up a strategy to occupy the Moon Temple. The Mallowolves would encircle the building and force the Priestresses and Templars to come out - unarmed, their weapons would be taken immediately if detected._

_After her guards had made sure everything was okay, Platia would clear her throat and speak to the Templars about the misery and oppression they caused, and try to persuade them to stop carrying out their dictature.._

_If the Templars refused to, the Mallowolves would attack, and a lovely night would turn into a bloody battle._

_Of course, Platia failed. Or maybe the Templars failed, you can choose how you'd like to see it, if they just surrendered to Platia they'd spared their own asses a whole lot of future struggles too..._

_That one night... One of the bloodiest battles in the history of Piñata Island occured. Over twenty Templars got hurt and eight of them died of their injuries. We do not know how many Mallowolves fell in action, but most probably there were even more victims among the Canda... _

_Poor, little brave papery dogs. It's said that the surviving Priestresses prepaired meals of Mallowolf life candy for days and days!_

_Platia and the remaining Canda members had withdrawn themselves back up in their cave residence, high up in the mountains. Platia and her advisors agreed on one thing: Too many of their best men had fallen. The next battle had to be fought differently._

_After nights and nights of bickering and debate about their new approach - Canda Wolves never backed down! - they finally came to an accord: Platia would turn to something she'd never really relied on, something she had absolutely no talent for and something that made her feel like a fish out of the water..._

_Magic._

_The Canda were ingenious piñatas, pretty much ahead of their time, especially compared to those retarded humans from back then. Also when it came to magical arts..._

_The Canda pack had three shamans, two witch-doctors and several 'novices', who were still learning the craft of magic. The wolves didn't even call magic magic by the way, they called it 'The Force'._

_And The Force wasn't seen as anything supernatural, no, it was nothing but a weapon the Dark Gods and their Priests had, and that they - the Canda - needed to practice it too, if they ever wanted a fair shot against them. _

_So. The Alpha became a novice. And learned. And learned, learned, and learned. She learned how to create those swirling, magic orbs of light, she learned how to compose a powerful scroll and she finally learned how to float, something that she'd been wanting to do for years!_

_Slowly but surely, Platia became more and more powerful. She promoted from a novice to a witch-doctor as soon as she learned to create posions and potions, and she eventually became a shaman, after attending training from the very best for more than one and a half year. _

_She was now powerful enough to open a window to Neragua and talk to the Gods directly. She'd asked the Mantlah - Upper Shaman of the Canda - if she could, but he made her clear that he'd rather go to the Moon Temple again, even if that meant that they'd lose more of their good men._

_Opening a portal to Neragua is risky, who knows what creatures escape to our dimension when they get the chance? There are countless demons and entities that you truly wouldn't like walking around among the people, not only would they slaughter anything in their way, as soon as they were saturated they'd also take possession of their dead bodies and set up conspiracies to destroy or enslave mankind..._

_A terrifying idea. The problematic thing was, though...  
>Platia was not easily terrified. Normally a good quality in warfare, but in this one situation... Not really.<em>

_On day in the mid of noon, when all of her beloved Mallowolfs were asleep, Platia secretly gathered all the atributes together that she needed to open a portal. She would talk to the Gods. In broad daylight, in her very own bedroom, she would perform her very first Talk Ceremony._

_That her advisors didn't support her in this, didn't mean anything at all. She was the Alpha, she had the right to make any decision for the pack she wanted... And she wanted to do THIS. This was more than just Business to her..._

_This was personal._

_Platia shook all her fear off - not that she was one for dread much - and started humming. Only moments later, she was all caught up in the most deep trance... Mantlah had prepared her very well._

_Shivers. The atmosphere in the room had changed, not only had the temperature dropped drastically, something... frigid had added to the ambience._

_Suddenly, a dark purple, swirling sphere appeared out of thin air, only a few decimetres before Platia's face.  
>The Priestress opened her eyes and smirked. She'd done it. She'd accomplished to open a window to the world of the Gods. And now she'd finally speak to one.<em>

_A misshapen face appeared in the foggy, purple portal. Platia, overcome by a sense of triumph, crawled even closer to the portal and hissed: 'Let me speak to Bulan.'_

_The misshapen thing shook its disformed head. No one has ever written a detailed description of what it actually looked like, but I guess our imagination can fill in the absence of those scriptions... It must've looked horrible! _

_And its voice must've sounded even worse... _

_'Thhe Great missster Bulann can't ssspeak to thhou.' _

_'No? Doesn't he know who I am?'_

_Anger rushed through Platia's veins. That God... Didn't want to speak to HER? She was more powerful than any Priestress he'd ever encounter, she was the leader of the CANDA PACK!_

_The demon shook its head again. 'Bulan ithh busssy. Does thhou wantss to leave a message?' _

_Platia grimaced at the irony of the whole situation. Mr Bulan was away to some important meeting, so she had to deal with his secretary from hell. Ha._

_Who was Bulan to not listen to his servants, equals and..._

_SUPERIOURS._

_'Tell Bulan... that he's being replaced by a WORTHY Moon God...'_

_Before the demon even could react to that, Platia shattered the portal with only one single swipe of her mighty hand.''_


	4. Answers Breed Questions

**Answers Breed Questions**

Ameena's mouth had fallen open. Bart laughed at the blank expression on her mask.

''I know. It's quite a tale... And this is only half of it! I really wish I could tell you what happened after Platia's self-deification... But, as you can see, the sun's coming up already!'' Bart pointed at the lilac morning sky. ''This is the time of day most customers Alert me... Unbelievable how many gardeners are up this early...''

Ameena clucked. ''I always get up around this time... It's a peaceful time of day, and it's good to harvest your fruits early, so that you don't have to bring them to the store in the afternoon, when it's hot and they get over-ripe... But can you pretty pretty please tell me the rest of the story? You've got me so curious... Those Mallowolves... Do you really think those Mallowolves that visited me tonight were descendants of the Canda?''

Bart shrugged. ''Who knows...'' He plucked at his colorful scarf. ''The Canda was no small pack... They were one of the biggest pack in the history of Mallowolves, actually.  
>I do not think 'your' wolves are thoroughbred Canda's, but they've probably some Canda blood running through their veins, yes.''<p>

''So... You mean mixtures between Canda's and ordinairy Mallowolves?''

''Exactly, yes, but...'' Bart remained silent for a moment.

''What?''

Ameena was never one for impatience, but now she knew she was about to hear something astonishing about her precious newfound Mallowolf friends.

''Well... Call me crazy if you want, but I've been looking for Canda City in my younger years, when I worked as a Diggerling... I've never found it, but the old documents I relied on say that it must be hidden in one of these mountains... The point is, I think your Mallowolves HAVE something to do with the Canda indeed - and I think that if you hadn't lost track of them you would've been in the most mysterious, ancient city ever by now...''

Ameena's eyes widened. ''Really?''

''Perhaps. What would've been the point of bothering you with some Islander's legend if not?''

''Do you mean...'' Ameena bit her lower lip. ''Do you mean that _I _am the new Platia?''

Bart shook his head. ''No. Not at all. The context is completely different - and despite of that, Platia's irreplacable... I'll explain you later why.  
>No, I think <em>your <em>part in this story's way different from Platia's, I think it's something unique...  
><em>If <em>you have a part in their story at all'' he added. ''We shouldn't get dragged in this legend stuff all too much... I _do _believe in _some _folklore stories, but most of them are quite unrealistic. Those could've been ordinairy young wolves that saw a potential playmate in you.''

Ameena nodded. Now that the sun had come up, her face was fully showing and Bart realized that Patch hadn't exaggerated when he'd told him that this girl _had _ to be the most beautiful on the entire Island...

Bart grinned. It was completely understandable for Patchingo to have a crush on a girl like Ameena... She didn't only have the most breathtaking looks, her personality was sweeter than Galagoogoo candy!

The Tinkerer truly hoped that Patch's feelings for her were mutual... Doc Patch certainly deserved some luck in his lovelife! The poor man was like twenty-three, and still a virgin!

''Okay... However...'' the maskless girl yawned. ''I'm tired. I think I'd better go home before anyone else sees my face... And catch up on some sleep and... hmm... Think about all this stuff again when I'm more clear in the head and... Awake.''

''Do that. I will - oh!'' Barts Alert System ringed. ''Bart the Tinkerer, what can I do for you?''

''See you, Bart!'' Ameena sighed wearily as she walked off and waved at him. 

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Ameena flew up straight in bed, the ends of her pink fluffy blanket clenched in her fists. Who the hell was knocking on her door? Who or... what? The Mallowolves? Bulan? Some ancient Priestress that had risen from death? The demon TSI?

''Who's there?'' she cried flusteredly. Why hadn't Bouncy barked to warn her? Oh, she knew from the start that he'd be a terrible watchdog! Or... What if _woever, whatever _this thing was had done something horrible to the Barkbark? This thing was _dangerous as hell._

She quickly glanced around if she had something to protect herself with. She hadn't left her spade in the garden yesterday, had she? Would her largely-sized frying pan do?

''It's Leafos!'' a familiar voice sounded. ''Are you alright? You sound... timorous.''

Ameena let out a sigh of relief. Then, when she'd recovered a bit from the shock, she slipped out of bed to unlock the door.

''Leafos!''

''Ameena! You look... are you alright?''

''Ehm, sort of puzzled, but yes, alright I guess...''

''Your hair is all tangled... And your eyes are red! What are you doing in your PJs by the way, it's one o'clock in the afternoon! Have you even watered your plants today? One of your blueberry bushes is drying out out there!''

The older girl pointed at a miserable brown little plant, not far away from the tiles that surrouned Ameena's house.

''I might have to throw that one away...'' The maskless girl yawned. That was the umpteenth time she yawned that day. ''Get me a garbage bag and I'll take care of it...''

''What's wrong with you!'' Leafos grabbed Ameena's shoulders bewilderedly. ''You never talk about your plants that laconically! You're almost as bad as Seedos!''

Ameena blinked Goobaishly. ''I know but... It already died!''

''Remember when your first daisy died?'' Leafos asked sternly.

''Yes...'' Yeah, she remembered THAT little drama! A week or two after she'd arrived on the Island, her prize-winning well-fertilized daisy had lost his precious floral life. One of her saddest experiences ever. She'd organized a small funeral for it, only Leafos and Seedos had turned up, but the latter'd been quite emotional. He'd even held a little speach, which Ameena'd found touching, in a way.  
><em>'I've know Daisy from when she was a young, young seed! I always... I've always known she was full of potential...' <em>

''I suppose you've learned from your little grief process then...'' Leafos brought her back in present time.

''When it comes to flora; yes. Fauna'll be more difficult though... I'd never get over Katchie or Bouncy... The idea of anything happening to them gives me shivers.''

''I can understand that. But Dastardos has mysteriously disappeared, so...''

''Argh! Don't let me go back to that night?''

''It's hard on you, huh?''

Ameena gave the girl a watery smile.

''You're not the only one'' Leafos told her. ''Seedos is still very upset, you know... I don't think the things he saw that night traumatized him - he's seen worse things, don't let me get into details - but it's almost like... He's sad over the disappearance of that piñata reaper, but I can't see why...''

''Ah, well, whatever!'' Ameena really didn't want to bother with mad events of almost a month ago. ''Any plans for the afternoon?''

''Yes, I actually planned to do some grocery shopping... Do you need anything from the Village?''

''Hmm... Maybe. I don't know. I'd actually like to join you, if you don't mind. It's been a while since I said hi to... Certain people!''

The miniature light shows the sun made, the refreshing breeze from the mountains and the cracked terracotta tiles that paved the Village's ground... Really, moments like these made Ameena feel like Piñata Island was Paradise on earth!  
>Strange that she now knew that it hadn't been always like this... The soil she now walked on happily, was the soil that many had died on. The fresh mountain breeze she inhaled eagerly, had once been polluted with the smell of blood, viscera, angst and misery. The sun that made her chocolate-brown skin turn to pitch black, was the very same sun that had stained burns on the pale, pitiful creatures that couldn't find cover from the torrid sphere...<p>

''Great Gods, you're shivering! It's like... 30 degrees Celsius! Do you want to borrow my scarve?''

Leafos began to losen up the scarf she always wore tightly around her waist.

''No, I'm just a bit tired, thanks'' Ameena said in a surprisingly steady voice. ''Shall we go to the Post Office? I need to say hi to Fannie...''

''Of course! But we better go to Costolot's first. We're standing like, in front of it.''

''Fair enough!'' Ameena giggled as Leafos opened the door.

''Do I hear my second-favorite sound in the world there? The doorbell? Customers! Oh, hi Leafos, hi Ameena, darling... Are you two here to produce my number one favorite sound, the tinkling of chocolate coins?''

Leafos could JUST prevent herself from telling the old lady her opening lines were getting worse, but instead she just kept her mouth shut and threw her shopping list at the counter.

''Hmmm, those are a lot of products! Excellent! I'll get you everything you need, feel free to look around in the meantime! I've got some new deliveries in...'' Lottie stooped to get something from under the counter. When she got up, she asked: ''And how are you, Ameena?''

''Fine, miss.''

''Ohh, you don't have to be so timid with that pretty mask of yours! Please, call me Lottie!''

''Okay... Well, everything's going fine in the garden, I think. I had to throw a blueberry bush away today, though. It'd dried out... But no major problems. No Ruffians, no ill piñatas...''

''But how are YOU, you personally? Do you have a love interest?'' Lottie giggled. ''Ohhh, who are you fooling hon?''

''I don't know...''

''You even mentioned the 'no ill piñatas' thing!''

''So?''

''Aren't you a bit dissappointed none of your piñatas has gotten ill?''

''Not at all... Who would want their piñatas ill?''

''YOU, because then you'd see that handsome DOCTOR of yours!''

''What? Patch?''

''Yes, Patch babe... Oh.'' The doorbell sounded again, and there was only one thing that Lottie would prefer over a good gossip session... _Money. _''Even more customers! Wow, today is a good day for me, I think I'll have made as much as a lottery winner by tonight! Leafos, I've packed you everything you asked for, now, I want to see the coins... Ahh, thanks sweetie! Ameena! Before you walk out... You said you've lost a blueberry bush... Are you interested in any blueberry seeds, or..?''

''No, thanks miss!''

''Ohh, I understand! You're going to ask that filthy little man of a Seedos again! Argh! As long as you know that Lottie provides the highest quality seeds on the entire Isl...''

''Let's go'' Leafos snarled as she grabbed Ameena's hand and walked out. She didn't want to listen to just another person bashing her little brother.

''Wow, that was mean'' Ameena let out as soon as they stood outside.

''I know right?''

''Can we go to Fannie now?''

''You can go ahead... But I have to get my father's rheumatism medicines at Patch's first...''

''I go with you!''

Leafos smiled triumhantly. ''So, at one thing the old, gray-haired bitch IS right!''

''At what?''

Leafos smile widened, as she exclaimed: ''YOU like Patch!''


	5. Breathe In, Breathe Out

**Breathe In, Breathe Out**

''Hi Patch!''

''L-l-leafos! G-good to see you, y-you're here to get your fathers m-m-medicine right? Ameena! H-h-h-hi...''

The doctor hadn't even dared to _wish _that Leafos would bring Ameena with her... That girl... The way she looked, it all was just so surreal! Even now that she had a mask on she looked like the most enchanting thing on the very Island... _She _was the girl of his dreams... But no way _he'_d ever be the guy of hers!

''H-h-how are y-you?'' he stammered, heavily hoping she couldn't hear his heart beating loudly. ''E-e-everything a-alright with your garden?''

''Y-yes, thank you!''

Ameena blushed under her mask. Gosh, she was nervous! Why in the world was she? There was nothing to be stressed out about!

''G-g-great! L-leafos, what did your dad h-have medication for again? W-was it hernia or rheumatism?''

''Rheumatism. I feel bad for my father, I think growing old is the worst thing that ever happened to him... He's always lived for the garden and our family, but after my mum's death it was mainly the garden... Great Gods, he loved the outdoors - and he still does! - but now the old man can't even go outside without his wheelchair!''

''T-t-that must ind-d-deed be very dudging-l-ly... He must be glad to h-have you around!''

''Yes, he is, but taking care of him can be such a drag, arghh... He's always been arrogant and self-centered, but after the-accident-he-doesn't-want-to-talk-about it even worsened! He constantly brags about how 'legendaric' he was back in the day, and about the valuable piñatas he's managed to attract... Unbelievable how that man can exaggerate! I mean, he truly DID achieve a whole lot more than the average gardener, but -''

''H-here you are.''

Patch put a small paper bag on the counter, and Leafos started to grope in her pockets for chocolate coins.

''I believe I've spend quite a bit more of them than intended at Lottie's... Is it okay if I pay the rest tomorrow, or next week to the utmost?''

''S-sure...'' Patch'd gotten used to customers who told him they'd 'pay him back later'... But from his sometimes painful experiences, he pretty much learned which customers were likely to rip him off and which held word.  
>Leafos being one of the latter.<p>

''Thank you so much! I promise I DO have the money, it's just...''

''T-t-that's okay. I-I know my goods are expensive... I w-w-wish I could s-sell them cheaper, b-but if I d-d-did I would go bankrupt and I r-r-really don't want to close my clinic...''

''I understand! And I appreciate the fact you even give your customers credit at all.''

''S-so, how much are you paying f-for now?''

Leafos blushed. ''Only five chocolate coins, I'm afraid'' she said shamefacedly. ''The other 1495... are, er...''

''It's alright'' Patch assured her once again, though he was seriously getting worried about his financial situation now. The lack of work lately hadn't done his wallet much good...

''Wow, is that a Sherbat?'' Ameena asked enthusiastically. ''I've always wanted to attrack one, but I never manage to make me a decent Jack O'Lantern... Argh, ve-ry frustrating!''

''T-t-that's no Sherbat!'' Patch smiled. ''N-not a r-real one at least... It's j-just a m-model, s-so that you can study the pi-piñatas anato-o-omy... I've kept it from my College years!''

''Cool! Can I touch it?''

''O-of course! The wings are... pretty awesome, t-they're made of some ultra thin p-paper...''

''Wow, they're soft!''

''E-exactly!'' Patch grinned. He had her interest. Perhaps he could keep her interested by telling her something about the anatomy of smaller piñatas? He'd never imagined her to care about such stuff! Wow, she was even more PERFECT than he'd...

''Can you tell me more about it? Please? When I was younger I wanted to be a vet, you know...''

Patch's grin widened so much, that his dry lips started to crack.

He immediately stopped. Cracked lips were not attractive. Would it be gay for a man to go and buy chapstick?

''Well, I c-c-c-could... I just could t-tell you... Have y-you ever wondered what makes the Sherbat so different from other f-f-flying piñatas?''

Ameena shook her head. ''Not really. But for some reason I've always liked them!''

''G-great, 'cause t-they're pretty l-likeable piñatas...''

''I think I go ahead and hand my father his medicine! He's ran out since yesterday, the pain must be killing him! I can also water you plants if you want, Ameena, so that you and Patch spend some time...  
><em>Alone<em>'' she whispered as she blinked at the doctor.

Patch could just prevent himself from letting out a little squeal of surprisement. Was Leafos hinting that her friend liked him?

Ameena made a face to Leafos and his hopes were kind of dashed. Just a little teasing among girls... No way Ameena thought anything more of him than some random guy in a monkey suit.

''Bye folks! Have a _great _time together.''

Patch felt like she emphasized the word 'great' in a very strange way... As if she WERE hinting something!

''So, what's so special about Sherbats?'' Ameena gave him the most adorable look.

''I can tell you'' he smiled nervously ''but that might take an ho-o-ur or two... Are you s-sure you have that much t-time?''

''I am, one hundred percent!''

''So, they have like, little sonar systems they can detect small insects with?''

''Yes! Q-quite a-a-asthonishi-ing, huh?''

''For sure!  
>Patch?'' Ameena asked shyly.<p>

''Yes, Ameena?''

''Well...'' It was half past three in the afternoon, and Ameena had been at Patch's since two. She'd never spent that much time with him before, and the cool thing was, they actually DID get along as good as she hoped they would! After thirty minutes, Patch even seemed _relaxed _around her, and that was a state she'd never seen him in, _relaxed_...

Eventhough she really liked him when he was all stressy and shaky, he was MUCH easier to talk to when he could just breathe in, breathe out, like any other person.

''... We've been talking for over an hour now... And I really like knowing everything about Sherbats, but... I... actually don't know anything about you!''

Phew, she finally said it! She'd finally made clear she wanted to get to know him better, - well, clear? More or less...

''You w-w-want to know m-more about... _me_?''

''Yes, silly, about _you._'' Ameena smiled confidently. ''Like, where have you studied, for instance?''

''In the UK'' Patch answered. ''I-I-I'm half British. My m-mother's British. A real British lady who drinks Earl Grey and l-l-likes to read detectives. She's the one I've got my love for t-tea and literature of...''

''Wow, really? That's amaze', does she still live in the UK or has she moved to Piñata Island too?''

''No. Neither of those. Unfortunatelly.''

Ameena's face darkened. She'd said something terribly wrong... What if Patch's mother was _dead_? She would've felt horrible if hers died...

''Oh, I'm so sorry, is she..?''

''No, no, not at all!'' Patch gave her a warm smile. That poor thing thought his mother had passed away, and that she'd hurt him by bringing up the subject! How sweet... ''She lives in Mexico now! That's where she met my father, I'm half Mexican, and I was born and raised in Mexico, too...''

''Ah! God, I'm so glad she's still among us! She must be a fantastic lady!''

''T-thank you, she is.''

''You said you were half Mexican and that you were born there... What's Mexico like? Anything like Piñata Island?''

Patch shrugged. ''If you add up crime, poverty, gang wars and ignorant tourists... Just kidding, Mexico isn't all that bad, the nature there is beautiful, the food's good and there live some really warm-hearted people there... But the only thing they have in common with the Islanders is their love for piñatas really, no other resemblances culture-wise... They even have a completely different religion; Islanders believe in their 'Gods' while Mexicans are mostly catholic...''

''Oh. I see. The whole 'Gods' thing is really getting on my nerves, to be honest...''

''Why?'' Patch asked, slightly concerned. Was Ameena having a difficult time naturalizing? Were it the masks? He remembered trying to get used to his mask himself when he first came to the Island... Wearing that thing all day had been quite uncomfortable in the beginning!  
>It had an advantage though, people wouldn't judge him on his looks... He remembered his high school years. He'd been the only blonde kid. Horrible. The older boys always made fun of him, and the girls... The girls really liked his lush, golden locks.<p>

He usually seemed to attrack the wrong types, though... The Petula- and the Fannie-like types in his teens and the Baboschka kind of girls when he was about eight...

''Well...'' Ameena could've slapped herself! She should've kept her mouth shut about the religion thing! Now she had to explain why she wasn't fond of it and stuff... ''... I really respect all kinds of religions - I do! - but this one is... Strange, it has a dark feel to it... I mean... I'm okay with wearing masks and I certainly don't mind religious fiestas, haha, but...''

Shit. She couldn't find the right words... She didn't want to make herself look like some ignorant female Barkbark that said she didn't, but actually disrespected other people's cultures!

''I get what you mean'' Patch murmured thoughtfully.

''You do?'' the girl asked eagerly. ''That's such a relief! That I'm not the only one who has... difficulties with this religion, I mean.''

''It's the whole myth stuff, isn't it? Those folklores? And d-don't be afraid, n-nobody would blame you for being scared after what happened with the d-d-d-dem...''

''The demon. Yes... I'd like to tell you again how thankful I am that you saved Seedos and me... I know I've said it like twenty times before, but I just can't thank you enough.''

''T-that's alright'' Patch stuttered, as he noticed that he was growing more nervous again now that they were talking about that damned night...''I-I can understand t-t-t... that that caused you a light m-m-mental trauma...''

Ameena blushed under her Tigermisu mask. She was over the demon. No, the thing that was worrying her now wat that this lovely place had such a horrifying past... And she was scared to death that that past would repeat itself!

''Look, it's not the entity, okay?''

''I-it's not?''

''No. Bart the Tinkerer's told me a story, today...''

''Bart? A good pal!'' _Who I've told how intense my love for you is... I hope he kept his big old mouth shut! _Patch added in silence.

''Yes. Certainly. But... you know that legend, about a legendary Mallowolf pack and their human leader, a Priestress?''

''Oh, yes, of course, the tale of Platia and the Canda!'' Patch grinned. ''B-bart is obsessed with Canda City... You know... Where those wolves used live! There are more of such stories, a favorite of mine is one about Cinnamonkeys... I could t-tell y-you, one day, if you l-l-l-like...''

''Great!'' Ameena exclaimed, as she totally forgot her disgust for Piñata Island's history. ''I, you are a really nice person and ehm... I like spending time with you...''

Hell no! Did she just say that?

Patch's legs got a little shaky. ''W-w-wow... I, I mean, ehm... I l-l-like spending time w-with you too, and ehm...''

Ugh. He was hopeless at flirting! He had never done it before, after all, let alone with a girl he was _madly _in love with... It'd probably be a better idea to talk about something he knew a lot of. Something he had experience with. He HAD to keep it real, otherwise Ameena wouldn't take him seriously anymore and she'd never want to spend time with him again!

He gave her a painful grin. Smiling was unbelievable hard when your heart was beating too hard for the sake of your health! Oh Heavens, this girl would shorten his life with at least a year or ten!

''I-i-if you're interested... I can ehm, you own a Kittyfloss, right? W-well, I'm going to P-p-paper Pets t-to t-take look at M-miss P-Petula's newborn kittens... Wanna come with me?''

Ameena's face lit up. Baby Kittyflosses AND Doc Patchingo! This day couldn't get better, eventhough it had started kinda weird!

''I'd lóve to come with you!'' she nodded.

''Alrighty! Let's go then!''

Patch opened the door. ''Ladies first!''

Ameena giggled. Ohh, she was adorable times ten! He couldn't keep his eyes off her...

He even forgot to lock the door of his precious clinic!


	6. In The Boggy World Of The Lizardi

**In The Boggy World Of The Lizardi...**

_''Tsiiiiii... Tsiiiiiiiiii...''_

_''Now wathhhh'' _the giant lizard hissed, as he was chewing on the remainings of a Cluckles.

Another stupid lizard was bullying him. Ever since that day, that _fucking _day that he'd taken over the Piñata Reaper's body to mingle with the mortals, ever since that _black day in Lizardi history, _ever since the _first time he failed at something, _his fellow Lizardi had been making fun of him.

There were no rules in the Lizardi community. Neither was there economy, infrastucture or even a leader.  
>No, but these monsters had one directive. <em>They didn't fail. <em>And he had screwed something up, he wasn't the fully respected member of their society he used to be.

He had become an outcast. The daily entertainment. Lizardi didn't have televisions or jobs; those who refused to live in the desert in the human world just sat around in their Neraguan swamp all day, waiting for their relatives to get back with food!

They díd like to play boardgames and practice their archery skills, but that was about it.

_''Thhou hathh let your asss get kicked byyy Patchhhhingo.''_

The other Lizardi bursted out in the most earsplitting kind of laughter. Tsi lately felt like couldn't cope with these moments of dedagration much longer. His pride had always been his main trait, he didn't have many other characterestics...

Except for fear, of course. He was brave in the world of humans, but those were weak and feeble. He, the Almighty Tsi, could crush them all with one single swipe of his powerful tail...

But those other Lizardi were his equals of course, some - although he hated to admit it! - were even his superiours! The older lizard demons got, the more their strengths grew... And some of his fellow Lizardi had been around since the times of Worship. That time had brought the strongest, biggest and most fierceful men... All those blood sacrifices had done them more than well.

Tsi was born in a more arduous time, for the Lizardi, right when these damned, filthy 'New Gods' had came up. It'd all started with Suelos, a young man who had displaced and replaced Terah, the Godess of Soil. It had been horrible. He and his Army of Nalí - a superiour highly intelligent group of Syrupents - had destroyed temples as a protest, and had left a trail of death and destruction, colored with the blood of the True Gods' faithful Priests and Priestresses...

After Suelos, more morons piñata-leaders had risen. This had aroused the curiosity of the Gods - but also their fury; what kind of humans were these rebels to even care for piñatas at all? Humans were a creation of the Gods, and they had NOT programmed them to love piñatas...

_''I isss talking to thhhou, Tssi... Thhhou hatthh yourssself shhhhooed away to thhhis rotten placccce by Doc Pathhhingo?''_

Tsi ignored the snickering Lizardi, and gave the brutal lizard a withering glance. Thís was not one of his superiours! No, this miserable thing wasn't even one of his equals; this punk was a minor... Yes, this guy was slightly smaller and considerably less muscular than him.

_''Thhou ssshhould keep your jawsss togethher''_ Tsi hissed. _''Or I'll do thhe same withh thhou asss I dithh withh Ngensiiiii...''_

He'd beaten up rude lizards up before. Mainly those who didn't have many friends to stand up for them; not that Lizardi really had trustworthy friends... Hunting buddies came closest to friendships, really.

Some lizards were very influental and praised, though. This guy not being one of them...

_''Oooooooooh'', _the crowd reacted. _''I woulthh beathh him up.'' ''Doesss thhou acccept thhat from thhe Biggesssst Disssgraccce of the Lizzardi?'' ''He'ssss lessss ssscared of thhhou thhan he issss of the piñata doctor...'_

_''Ngensssiii isss a cowarthh'' _the smaller lizard spat. _''You isss no matchhh for me... You isss not even a matchhh for Patchhhhingo...''_

Tsi roared, tensed his cast-iron muscles and rose up high above his opponent. The other - dark green - lizard paled when he saw how the older monster was built. The spectators had of course expected this but nevertheless grew more excited; they wanted to see blood!

The younger lizard, who was called Kowla, couldn't help it but began to shake heavily. He was not from the same area as Tsi was - he'd never met the guy in person before! - and he'd never imagined the 'Biggest Disgrace of the Lizardi' to be stronger and more threatening than he was, he was pretty frightening, right? At least the lost villagers he'd devoured thought so!

_''Lisssten, cub. Tsssi never wantsss to catchh thhhou arounthh him againn...''_

_''That'sss okay!'' _the smaller lizard pleaded, as the 'loser's' big-toothed jaw came scarily close to his snout. _''I never intentethh to insssult thhou...''_

_''Good.''_ Tsi's terrifying mouth curled into a small, smug smile.

The other Lizardi - including Kowla - kept staring at him.  
>Tsi didn't like being stared at... It made Tsi feel offended.<p>

_''Then... THHHOU GET OUTTHA HERE!'' _he roared, and the smaller lizard made a startled jump, turned around and disappeared in the toxic swamp fog.

The other Lizardi chuckled and called things like: _''Thhhou isss even more of a lossssser than Disssgrace issss!'' ''Never rethurn to thhe Northhern Ssswamp again... _

Tsi grinned as he lied down in the mud again. Rest had returned. He would have a nap now, and get a new Cluckles somewhere when he woke up.

''Tsi! Tsi!''

The demon looked up. Where in the damned world Neragua _was _he? This was not the Lizardi bog, neither was it Lizardi Village!

No, if it'd be the Village the smell of barbecued piñatas and humans would tickle his nose, and the sound of groaning and cursing Lizardi would tease his ears. He couldn't see anything. Nothing but darkness. If this was the Village, he would see huts - illuminated by weak, greenish sunbeams - small straw huts with only one room, and dark, dark blood on the squishy ground...

The Lizardi still believed that some day, another war would break out. A war in which they could prove their loyalty to the True Gods, which wouldn't be hard. The New Gods had died out decades ago. They weren't worshipped by the people anymore. They were nearly forgotten.

No, Lizardi still had faith in their leaders. Tsi himself had attempted to kill these 'Ameena', 'Seedos' and 'Dastardos' people in the name of Cueraça, after all.

Cuerça. He was The True Reaper.

''I'm Glad You Feel That Way.''

Who knew what Tsi was thinking? Tsi glanced around again.

''Not There. Right Behind You.''

Tsi gasped when he saw who was speaking to him. He should have known. He should have known that that Mighty voice came from a Mighty person... A Beyond Mighty being.

Cueraça was staring at him in all his tremendous glory. He had the black face of a mummified corpse, emerald eyes that screamed eminence, a thin, dry pair of lips and the most majestic high cheekbones. He was wearing a simplistic scarlet robe - rumour had it that the cloth'd been white in the past, but that the blood of Cueraça's human victims had colored it red - and necklaces with teeth and bones instead of silver or jewels. His nails were longer and sharper than Tsi had ever imagined nails could be, and his fingers were as bony as the death the God brought.

''Yes. It Is Me. The Almighty, True Piñata Reaper Cueraça. Right Before Your Eyes.''

Tsi wanted to say something, a few words of honor, but all that came from his raspy throat were thin, faintly squeals. This was the God he had FOUGHT for!

''And I Sure Am Thou Thankful For That'' Cueraça nodded. ''Thou Failed, Though.''

Tsi felt like he wanted to throw up. Cueraça had a sincerely dissappointed look on his mask, which was red with gold detailing. It was so iconic that it would look familiar to any of the Villagers, even those who were born in these wicked times of atheism...

Cueraça's mask was exactly the same as Dastardos'. But that foolish immortal mortal would NEVER pull it of like Cueraça did! That petty little man didn't even have the right to wear it! Such a magnificent mask didn't belong to an emucated clown!

_''I issss sssorry for lettting Thhhou down'' _Tsi fizzled as he bowed down dejectedly. _''I am notthh worthhy of living in thhhe blisssssful realm of Neragua... Not even in the filttthhiestthh outssskirtsss of thhe Lizardi bog.''_

Cueraça sniffed as he looked down on Tsi. More literally than figuratively. He wouldn't admit this to His fellow Gods, but he was rather fond of this young lizard. If he wasn't mistaken, this soldier was born in the time when the New Gods were at their peeks, and yet he had dedicated his miserable futile life to fighting for the True Gods...

Most Lizardi from his age lived on the actual Island now. They hid theirselves in the deserts and fed theirselves with small piñatas, but they usually didn't establish anything significent...

Let alone that they would give their life in a battle for their True Leaders, like the older generations would do without hestitation.

''Tsi'' Cueraça spoke. The lizard rose up quickly again, every soldier knew that you had to stand in salute position when one of the Gods talked to you.

What if Cueraça was going to give him orders? That would be such an honor! A task... given by one of the True Rulers himself, and not by some dusty, foul Lizardi general...

''My Soldier'' Cueraça spoke ''I Need To Show You Something.''

_''Of courssse, Thy Almighty'' _Tsi whizzed. _''Ssshow me... And teach me.''_

The corners of Cueraça's dry, leathery mouth curled up as he heard the mockery in the voice of his new favorite inferior._ 'Show me, and teach me' _had been a signature praise of the New Gods, founded by that virago of a Platia - that female Barkbark that had a whole pack of little Mallowolf friends that wanted nothing but 'free the humans from the dicatorship of Bulan and his satellite's'...

Disgusting. But he was delighted that this young fellow was aware of even the smallest details in the Religious Revolution. Thís was the kind of manpower they needed in the future wars! Thís was the perfect soldier, the kind of soldier that would bring back the True Reign.

''I Am Glad You Have Done Your History Homework'' Cueraça droned, with an amused smile on his mask. ''Now Follow Me!''

Tsi had no idea how his superiour did it, but with one sweep of his Almighty hand, the God made appear a bright portal out of thin air. Tsi shrieked and stepped back.

Cueraça grinned and stepped through the window. Tsi followed closely. He was new to all this. He had indeed used magic to take over Dastardos' mind, but the spell he'd used to that was relatively simple. Just another ancient scroll.

This was the pure essence of The Force, the force that had been there since the creation of the very Island... This was something only the True Gods could execute, and he was walking with one of them!

As Tsi stepped through the portal, he was convinced. He was here for a reason. He was chosen to bring back the Reign of the True Gods!


	7. Responsibilities Of A Little Brother

**Responsibilities Of A Little Brother**

''We all miss you, Shelly'' Seedos murmured. ''Take these roses... I know those were your favorite flowers! These are awesome, my friend Ameena grew them...''

Seedos snickered as he threw the small bouquet at Shelly's amateurishly-made gravestone. Eventhough he was as sombre as the swamp trees surrounding him and his very own Shellybean graveyard, he couldn't help but speak the word 'friend' in a proud tone of voice. A year or two ago, he had never expected that anyone but his Shellybeans would like him... Now he was hanging out with the coolest girl on the entire Island! Thát sure placed him a few steps higher on the social ladder...

Not that he gave a damn about his reputation. All he really cared for were his beautiful seed collection and his beloved Shellybeans.

He had more than twenty of them living in his house, and even more were strolling around the dead tree he lived in. Eventhough many of them looked exactly the same, he'd named all of them and he was familiar with each one's personality.

Having to deal with a Shellybean's death always was difficult... It was like losing a family member. Even worse, probably, because he wouldn't even bother if Jardineiro died. His so-called dad was a jerk...

''I wish he died instead of you! Yóu are the one that truly supported me, I... Argh.''

Deep down he knew it was wrong to wish that his dad died. True, his dad was narcistic, self-centered and vain, but he didn't deserve to die! Okay, he pretty much did, but not in the same horrible way as Shelly had died, though...

Shelly had fallen in action. Exactly a month ago, the 27th of April. Her death'd come in the most awful and unexpectant way. His older brother - Dastardos - had assasinated her in the guise of a 'warning'...

Maybe he should've listened to his brother harsh words and strange prophecies, because those were the last words his actual _brother _had spoken to him... That night, Dastardos' _body_ had returned to Seedos humble little shack. Only the mask, clothes and bones, but not his actual _soul_.

It'd turned out to be some lizard-demon named Tsi. Seedos knew those monsters from the folklore, but he had never actually believed in them. He thought he'd seen worse things - the rise of Pester, the Ruffians, the Sours and the transformation of his brother - but apparently, he was wrong.

Nothing Pester-related was as bad as a demon from Neragua. Not even the radioactive waste the man dumped in the swamp that'd made several of Seedos' best Shellybeans cringe and shake - and die, eventually. Seedos didn't have a single source of income, no way he could ever afford a vet, especially not that over-rated and over-expensive one of a Patchingo.

Without a warning, Seedos got struck by rage - which was something that didn't happen very often.  
>That Patchingo-guy was a complete douche! After he'd expelled Tsi from Dastardos' body - Seedos kinda owed his life to the clumsy doctor - he'd brought Dastardos to his clinic. The Reaper was still alive at that point, and Patchingo said he'd attempted to give the undead body CPR. He claimed he succeeded, but that the body disappeared when he walked out the operation room to get himself a cup of coffee...<p>

The disturbing thing was, that Seedos only partly believed this illogical story. True, everything evolving his brother _was _completely illogic, he of course was no 'scientist' like 'doctor' Patchingo was, but even he - the itty gritty labile seedman - knew that even Dastardos' _body _existed of something that was... utterly ridiculous to the laws of biology, even on Piñata Island where those were pretty messed up already.

Pester's fault. He had given the young Stardos sour candy... Stardos had been about Seedos' age when the tragedy happened, perhaps even younger. How did that twisted man DARE to take the life of somebody auspicious, just to have another sick assistant?

But Pester probably wasn't the only one who wanted to take advantage of his brother's 'situation'. Seedos wasn't much one for conspiracy theories, but he had the unpleasant feeling that Patchingo _kept _Dastardos somewhere, taking samples of his black, treacly blood and thin, brittle bones...

Seedos retched. He felt the urge to throw up whenever he thought of stuff like this, but he wouldn't, not here, simply because this was the most peaceful and sacred place in the swamp, this was the _Shellybean graveyard..._

It'd started with one single Shellybean named Sonil. It was the first Shellybean Seedos ever had to bury - it'd happened a month after Seedos'd moved in with the snail piñatas; Sonil had fallen into the claws of a hungry, lost wild Pretztail - and Seedos wondered where he could give his beloved piñata friend a fine final resting place...

After wandering around for a few hours - tightly hugging the cardboard box with Sonil's remainings - he had found this open space. It was less muddy and slimy than the rest of the bog, in fact it didn't even look like the bog at all! Wild flowers grew everywhere, the grass was high and tough instead of soggy and the weeping willows really gave the place that serene, graveyardy feel!

That was a few years ago, and now his personal 'cemetery' was a little too filled for his liking. Too many Shellybeans had died 'cause of Pester, 'cause of his sour candy and his pollution, argh!

Seedos gritted his teeth. He felt like he wanted to PUNCH something - due to there not being a SOMEONE around - but his heart skipped a beat when he noticed how fast his moodlet had changed... From suicidally sad to extremely furious!

He didn't want to have mood swings like those. He had seen them enough back when he lived at his dad's... He had first encountered such behaviour shortly after the disappearance of his mother, and since then things hadn't changed much on that front.

Seedos heaved a sigh. He looked at the bright orange bag he was holding to calm himself down. He didn't have the time to be angry with... Pester, Patch, his dad, whoever! He had to hurry to get to the desert before the hottest time of day, he had to _deliver _something.

Magnar couldn't wait much longer!

After the mysterious 'Dastardos accident', Seedos had been the one taking care of the vampire Maraccoon. Such special piñatas didn't survive on their own; they needed someone to provide them the special food they needed.

Seedos absolutely HATED going out to hunt for life candy. Eventhough he didn't give a sand clog about Whirlms, it always hurted him to rise up his rusty spade to make it come down on their little heads... With those little eyes...

Heartbreaking! He couldn't understand Dastardos doing that every day - even with CUTE piñatas like SHELLYBEANS - without having even the slightest bit of empathy for those little paper animals! Of course, he'd do anything to keep his mollusc mateys alive too, but he WOULD feel bad to take the life of a living creature...

''That's just the donut of life, as Leafos would say'' the boy told himself, as he saw a slight change of color in the afternoon sky. ''I should get walking now...''

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

The scorching afternoon sun colored the white, neutral desert sand a deep orange. Some wild S'morpions were milling about, and a handful Volchurros picking the bones of a whatever it was. Seedos didn't even bother with wondering, he had bigger problems.  
>The red-hot sand was hurting his feet, he couldn't afford sandals or slippers or anything like that.<p>

He'd never envy Stardos' new body, but right now he pretty much wished he could float. If it went on like this, he'd have to stop by at Patch's again to get his feet some bandages! No way he was going to let that moronic doctor nurse him again... Ha!

There the twisted tree Dastardos called home was. It was considerably bigger than Seedos' little swamp tree, but it also looked way more threatening and sinister... The stem was made of the most wheaterworn wood, and those windows had that eerie feel to them...

Everyone in the Village thought the hollow tree was abandoned. Before Dastardos had moved in, the huge dead thing had belonged to a vagabond - one of the latest descendants of some ancient nomad folk - who had disappeared around the same time as Stardos and Seedos...

Seedos could easily guess what'd happened to the poor man. If his body would ever been found in the desert, swamp or jungle, he'd sure know who had brought it there...

His brother having piñata's confetti on his hands; okay. But human blood? Sometimes Seedos seriously wondered why he went through all the hard stuff for a murderer...

''Don't be an egoïstic jerk like Jardineiro!'' Seedos told himself as he struggled his way to the treehouse. He'd been walking in the hot so long that he felt like not only his feet, but his entire lower legs were scalded! ''Dastardos is _family_! And Magnar needs to be fed. He's a piñata. And a pretty awesome piñata too, for a not-Shellybean... Finally.''

Seedos hastily pushed the back door open - which'd seen better times. Ahh, it felt more than good to finally stand on sand that was not candent!

That satisfying feeling didn't last long, though.

''MiiiI!''

''Magnar!''

Seedos forgot about his minor burns and scooted towards the little Macaraccoon.

Magnar had always been small - he now had the size of a baby Macaraccoon that would cocoon soon, eventhough he was fully an adult - but now his size had pretty much decreased with a quarter! The poor thing looked almost as emaciated as his original owner...

''How long... How long is it ago that I brought you life sweets, little guy?''

Magnar made a weak, forlorn noise.

''I know... I can tell that it's been too long... But do you have any idea how difficult it is to get life candies when you're not a professional piñata reaper? Whenever I spot an ill piñata, Patch is bending over it with a bottle of medicine! And I'm horrible at killing healthy piñatas, it is so frickin' hard, those little eyes practically beg you for mercy...  
>I'm a very merciful person, you know. I know how they must feel... I've felt the harsh smacks of the spade waaaay too many times to not to feel sorry for those little creatures I... <em>kill.<em>''

Seedos opened the bag and scattered a a bunch of life candies on the ground. Magnar rushed towards them immediately. Seedos couldn't help but feel aversion for the small piñata vampire, the way it devoured those life sweets as if they were regular toffees...

''Here Magnar.'' He placed the bag of life candies on the ground. ''This is for you... I won't be back in a while, so don't eat them all at once!''

''Miii?''

Magnar looked up from his meal. It'd been days since he'd had company! Seedos couldn't leave yet! Apart from Professor Pester, he was the only person on the Island who knew Dastardos' true identity, thus the only one who knew of Magnar's existence!

He normally wasn't very fond of physical contact, but he'd spent way too many nights alone... Not to mention the days; which were so much worse. It was harder to get sleep when the sun was shining in your cute sensitive piñata eyes...

''I'm so sorry Magnar'' Seedos murmured as he saw the disappointed look on the Macaraccoon piñata's furry face. ''I might visit you again, the day after tomorrow...  
>But for now, I've got business.''<p>

Magnar let out a heartbroken squeal, so soft and high frequented that it was hardly noticable to human ears.  
><em>I've got business. <em>That what Dastardos'd always said. And not only Dastardos, Stardos too; for Magnar had known the piñata reaper before his 'darker' days.

''I know you don't like hugs... But I can't help it! Your level of cuddliness is almost as high as that of the average Shellybean!'' Before the Macaraccoon knew it, he was tied up in a tight embrace. Then, his candy-supplier suddenly whispered something in one of his fluffy ears: ''I'll get you your owner back as soon as possible!''

''Mi?'' Magnar shrieked wonderingly when the seedman's thin arms released him.

''You've heard me, little one! I'm going to search for Da... Stardos and I won't rest until I've found him!''

With those words and a last pat between Magnar's ears, Seedos walked out.

When he'd told Magnar about him not being a professional piñata reaper like Daz and Patch always being ahead of him, an idea had hit him, a very very good idea.

The main question was; how would he get into the private section of Patch's clinic without getting caught? He had to make up SOMETHING...

Those burns on the soles of his feet indeed were a good excuse to get into the clinic at all. The situation wasn't all that urgent, but getting them bandaged sure would prevent later infections and such... The swamp ground was far from hygenic, after all!

''Son... I feel bad for you.''

Seedos looked up. An old man with a golden mask and a sombrero was talking to him. He was most probably an ex-Diggerling, or a hobbyist.

''Doc Patch is not at his office... At the moment, he's checking up on some baby Kittyflosses at Petula's... Nothing difficult for a classified doctor like him of course, but such activities can take ages... Do you have any idea how fierce Kittyflosses can be when someone wants to vaccinate them or do something else they don't like? Whohoho! Patch'll be away for an hour or so, and when he comes back... He'll be covered in so many scratches that he practically needs a doctor himself!"

''I... understand'' Seedos said, just to say a thing.

''Good luck then! If I weren't as busy, I would bandage you, little guy. I as a Diggerling have seen and learned to cure various injuries! Unfortunately, I have to go now... My break's through! Eventhough I'm a pretty old guv, I still work in the mines every day!''

As the garrulous Diggerling finally walked off, Seedos checked the surroundings. Everything looked pretty deserted - all shutters, doors and windows were closed and nobody was walking by - which was good.

Doc Patch was an incredibly dupable person. From his older brother Seedos had learned that the man often left the front door of his clinic unlocked when he went away... Even at night! So why would it be different now - at the mid of day, when he was visiting a client from just down the street?

As he carefully pushed the door open, he noticed his heart started to beat a little louder. Seedos was far not as fearless as his older brother was... But in order to find that older brother, he HAD to take actions like these!

He firstly entered the waiting room. Nothing significant; the most exciting things he'd find here were outdated magazines and a cash register full of choco coins - sincerely earned by selling bottles of medicine at such a price only the richest gardeners could afford them without having to eat turnips and carrots for days and days after... Seedos' stomach started to turn instantly when he tought of thát ill system!

Making money off people's sick piñatas just wasn't right... It just wasn't right. He'd pretty much filled his graveyard off of Patch's greediness.

Trying to repress the hard feelings, Seedos stepped into the room that said IC, Intensive Care. Patch's rotten clinic only had two rooms, really. That 'IC' of his, was nothing but an ordinairy operating room. Seedos'd been there often; and he'd never ever been in a life-threatening situation!

''Okay, where should I start?''

Seedos often thought out loud. One of the consequences of his isolated life in the swamp...

''Those drawers can't carry anything interesting... The cupboard?''

He trotted to the other side of the room and opened the door with more violence than that he'd intended to do... He hoped he hadn't a hinge or so! Then, when he saw the contents of the closet, he gasped and stepped back...

Eventhough he'd expected quite something, his heart came to an alarmingly long stand still as he stared right into the eyes of his notorious, emaciated, _evil _older brother.

''Dastardos!''

The fierceful creature didn't answer. Then Seedos realized it was just a pic!

''He's got a life-size poster of Dastardos in his closet? Huh? And they call _me _obsessed...''

The boy fell silent as he noticed the picture wasn't the only Dastardos-concerning item in the cupboard. The walls were entirely covered in newspaper clippings; _The Island Inquirer; Creep Carries Off Wealthy Woman, Dastardos Strikes Again!, Plague Infects Local Piñata..._

''_I _didn't even know that he did even one of these things! And what's that?''

Under the largest clip, a tally was pinned down. It said 'April' and it covered all piñata deaths... Which were quite a lot more than Seedos had imagined.

If saving or taking piñata's lives had been a competition, Dastardos would've beat Patch mercilessly. Daz had an epic score of 45, while Patch had only achieved a respectable 12.

Seedos felt a sudden sense of pride of his older brother, something he hadn't felt in years! He grinned, and he felt his smile widen even more as his eyes fell on the glass jar under the tally...

Apparently, Patch didn't make half as much money from his over-priced medicines as Seedos had expected him to! The guy kept his own shovel fund! And the pathetic thing was, the jar wasn't even NEAR filled, the small pile of choco coins hardly reached halfway the pot!

''That... that guy's desperate!'' Seedos giggled. Then his attention was drawn by colorful post-its that were hanging just about all over the place... _'July 25, I get introduced to Dastardos very 1st time', 'March 8, Dastardos spotted with Pester', 'November 26, Dastardos not seen for more than a week', 'December 5, Dastardos strikes again'... _and so on.

''He writes up important data about Dastardos, that's sick! And is that on the floor sour candy? Smells like it, at least! And what's that? Naw, that's gross...''

Eventhough keeping up with an undead man's activities was ill-minded enough by itself, Patch's obsession went a little further... No, what was hanging there reached fááár passed the boundaries of sanity, if Seedos didn't know better he'd think Patch was WORSHIPPING the piñata reaper! This was beyond crazy, which wholesome grown man would frame pieces of scarf and locks of white hair as if they were fucking diploma's?

''I really need to get out of here... This guy knows nothing! He hasn't kidnapped Dastardos to do experiments on him or do anything else cruel, he doesn't even know about his former identity! I mean, if he knew... That article in the Piñata Daily about Stardos' disappearance would CERTAINLY be in here if he... Great Gods, what the FUCK is he aiming for?''

Of course Seedos knew that by heart. Although he disliked Patch and his mincing stuttering voice, he somehow understood what the guy was about...  
>All the doctor wanted was to save innocent piñatas from an unnecessary death, and probably find out more about Dastardos' atanomy; how the guy was able to float, how he still hadn't died though he was clearly underfed and why - for the sake of the Gods! - he chose to reap piñatas, instead of just crawling back in his grave or doing something more interesting with his afterlife.<p>

''I feel you, Patch'' Seedos mumbled, as he decided he'd seen enough of this. ''But that doesn't necessarily mean I like you!''

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''Seedos!''

He was on his way back to the swamp, when he bumped into Ameena.

''Hi Ameen'''

''Haven't seen you in a few days! How's life?''

''Not bad'' the boy lied. Ameena didn't even notice the untrue tone in his voice, which she certainly would if she weren't as excited!

Seedos thought Ameena looked great, she had the widest smirk on her face and her eyes were brighter than ever... But what in the world was that for? Was it some kind of fiesta today or..?

''Are you up to something?'' Seedos asked doubtily.

The girl shook her head, blushed and giggled: '' No, but I had the most amazing time inspecting baby Kittyflosses with Doc Patchingo! Ohhh, Kitties are so fluffy and DANG, isn't he a great guy? I admire him, I really do, but oh, ehm, now that I think of it... Any plans for tonight?''

Seedos was the one to shake his head now.

His stomach turned in disgust when he thought of his best and only human friend being so fond of docter Patchingo...

''Great! I'm going to Bart's with Leafos - he's going to tell that old myth about the Godess Platia! - wanna join us?''

Seedos shrugged. He didn't want to ruin his friend's enthiusiasm... and his Shellybeans most probably had enough food for the night, so why not? Besides, he'd heard Bart had an amazing telling voice!

''Sounds good'' he decided. ''I haven't been in the Village for a while...''

Another lie of course, but if Patch ever found out someone had broken into his clinic, he wanted to be the least to be suspected!


	8. Islander's Myth: Godly Reforms

**Islander's Myth: Godly Reforms (Told By Bart The Tinkerer)**

''Customers? Customers? I really don't wanna bother with customers for now, I have an appointment with the most talented, wonderful new gardener...''

''We're no customers! Not for now, at least.''

''Ahh, Ameena! I'm glad to see you've brought your friends...''

The orange beams of late sunlight fell through the windows of Bart's caravan/store, and illuminated the old man's pumpkin-like mask and his huge hat; Ameena finally realized that it was no sombrero, but a pioneers hat.

''Hi Bart! Great to see you again, you look a little washed out though...''

Ameena wondered how you could see if someone looked washed out when they were wearing a mask, but she DID notice the tinkerer seemed quite sleepy.  
>But Leafos was used to masks of course, maybe she would see such things too in a few years!<p>

''I just awoke from a lovely nap, that's all, I didn't catch much sleep last night since I was having a conversation with some charming young lady...'' The Tinker winked at Ameena. ''I suppose you want to know the rest of the story, right?''

''Right'' Ameena agreed.

Bart's mask clouded. That was something even Ameena could see!

''You know, as much as I'd love to tell you all about the bloody fights of the Religious Revolution and the ferocious demons that terrorized our Island... I don't think you'd feel very comfortable aroun here again, I mean, you're new!  
>Also, wouldn't you be more interested in the reasons why people aroun here wear masks, and how Piñata Island got the actual name Piñata Island and such?''<p>

''Ehm, sure!'' Ameena said. She was actually relieved.

She really didn't want to know what know which kinds of horrible things had taken place on the lovely island she was just starting to consider home!

_''Let us flash forward to the moment in time in which Platia finally ruled the Village.  
>This must've been years after her first introduction with the Canda tribe. Platia's road to power had been a severe test, packed with blood, brute force and gore.<em>

_First thing Platia did - after the bloody war that had demanded so many innocent lifes - was re-occupying the Moon Temple. Eventhough she'd had a horrible time there, she couldn't help but feel a sort of _attached _to the place where she had spent more than ten years of her early life._

_'From now on, this is going to be _my _sanctuary!' she had determined as soon as she'd taken her first step into the building. 'This place, where I used to worship evil without my awareness, where I have been living a lie, where the dream that Bulan would save me and my people never was far away...  
>Here will I be worshipped from now on - the good Goddess of the moon and nocturnal piñatas -, from here will I illuminate the darkness so that the truth can finally shine as supposed to and I will never, never ever wait for anything to salvate my people again, for I will be that salvator! This place will symbolize the foundations whereupon my reign will rest! It will show how I turned tragedy to triumph.'<em>

_Platia might've been a very undue speaker, but she sure was a woman of her word. It took her about three months to restaurate the temple and improve it with a huge telescope and other tools for her moon observatory; Platia was keen to know more about outer space. She thought that there might've been a reason that she and her Mallowolves felt melancholic whenever they looked at the nightsky, and she wanted to find out what this reason was exactly._

_That mystery ever remained unsolved, but one of the scientists she had employed was the first on the Island to discover the red planet._

_Not only did the temple get more advanced, the interiour changed dramatically too. All images of Bulan, Priestresses and life sacrifices were to be removed, and so were the small Bulan idols and Bulan-associated weapons. _

_Without all this decoration the temple of course looked a bit empty, so every Bulan-related item got replaced by something of Canda design quickly. Actually, loads of patterns we use nowadays on our clothes and buildings for instance, originate from an advanced piñata tribe... I've told you that the Candas wasn't the only one, right?_

_However, Platia didn't only change the looks and purpose of the temple, she completely _transformed _the Village and all farms and gardens surrounding it._

_She began with building people better houses. At that time, the Canda wolves had better building techniques than the humans had, and the brick and clay houses we know rose from the ground in no-time. _

_In the meantime Platia held speeches and lectures about how the future looked bright again now that the Old Gods were out of the way. She insisted on education for everyone - despite the sore fact that the damned civilazation didn't have any teachers - and she kept repeating that they all had to forget about the ''dictators of the past'', who still were loved among the Villagers and to whom most of those treacherous beasts still were faithful._

_''Now Bart, tell me. How come Platia's realm didn't have any teachers, but DID have astronomy scientists?'' That's what you're about to ask right? Hah! I might be old, but I still am sharp and very skillful when it comes to facial expressions._

_The answer lies in Platia not being the only ''Reformalist'' - as they were called at the time, later they'd become ''New Gods'' or simply ''Gods''._

_This God named Suelos - God of Soil and Fertility, successor of the evil Goddess Terah - is one that's been really important to our Village. He educated the local farmers in agriculture, and instead of the scarce harvests the people were used to, the fields were suddenly profusely filled with ripe pumpkins and corn cobs. _

_Now that the Villagers' stomachs were filled - which was an experience by itself for those creatures who'd never felt anything but hunger and pain - they started to, well, _think. _They _payed attention _to what Platia was saying, they started to really... try to take in her ideas, which was great of course!_

_Something that you'd expect to take generations only took Platia eight years. She gave a former enslaved people something they'd never had; dignity._

_And not only dignity. Also culture, a brand new religion, hope and an alternitive way of life! A good way of life, a better way of life, something they'd never even been able to imagine because they were too damn dense when they were under the reign of those horrible Old Gods._

_A remarkable change in culture were the masks.  
>The idea of introducing masks to normal people came from Suelos, who had been a humble farmer's son from a southern village before he became the God of soil we still know him as. <em>

_To him masks symbolized equality. He didn't believe in Gods being higher beings than mortals just because they had a certain power, especially not because he and his fellow Gods were hundred percent human, where the Old Gods were completely different creatures with completely different DNA._

_Later, in the 1800s, wearing a mask became more of a formal thing. All those masked people on the streets for all those years had had effects on the people's thoughts on faces. Because seeing one's face now solely happened in the family circle, they began to see it as something private, something not everyone's business. _

_The great philosophers of the time came to the conclusion that faces were the reflection of one's soul, that they were very precious and valuable treasures. They often got compared to pearls; dazzlingly beautiful but to be kept hidden protected by the clam, which of course symbolized the mask._

_Of course marriage played an important role in this too. Girls usually married at a considerably young age - about _your _age, Ameena - and the family highly pressured the young couples. Marriage had to be succesful, that was the key to a place in Piñata Island's society in the 19th century.  
>Therefore it was very important that the man didn't just choose a girl because of her looks. No, a spouse was to be chosen out of love or for political reasons. Looks are superficial and transient; the 1800s were all about strength and inner beauty.<em>

_The Gods - who were still around at that time, eventhough they were old and their bones had become brittle - embraced these ideas. People would choose their partners for the right reasons, which would lead to stronger marriages and more unity overall. _

_As in a manner of recognition, the Mask Ceremony was introduced, the ceremony that usually takes place after a baby is seven days old... I don't think you know this Ameena and you might find it interesting; when a woman has been pregnant for approximately eight months, a forecaster will be invited to the family's home. The curtains will be closed and candles will be lighted, and then the forecaster takes out her famous pendulum._

_She will swing the pendulum in front of the mothers belly. Only the two parents are allowed to be in the room when she's doing that; if the couple has a few children already they'll be sent outside and so will other indwelling family members._

_The psychic has to concentrate on the baby's soul, other mental signals would distract her. She has to uncover the gender of the unborn, and not only that, the parents of course demand a brief description of the baby's personality too! The mask had to be made quickly after all, Islanders are somewhat reluctant when it comes to taking their babies outside with their little face uncovered._

_Personally, I think it's Moozipan crap. Hiring a psychic woman I mean. I Tinkered my mask myself at the age of eleven, before that I'd just wrap scarves around my face whenever I'd go outside!_

_Eventhough masks are quite a defining thing for Piñata Island, they are by no means as determinative as the piñatas._

_The Goddess Jeimiña is the one who changed the Villagers' views on our paper friends. Jeimiña was born in a tiny village in the jungle, so unlike the Villagers she'd been surrounded by piñatas for as long as she could remember. She played with baby Tigermisus as soon as she was able to walk, she sang with Candaries and she climbed trees with Cinnamonkeys! _

_She had heart for all piñatas, but her favorite was the Parrybo. She would always carry one with her, either in a small cage or on her shoulder. The village she lived in was incredibly tolerant towards piñatas - there are several theories why, but I won't get into any tonight - and Jeimiña was the only New God that didn't discover her divine powers in battle or protest. _

_Jeimiña's world was completely different from that of the Villagers, they had relatively educated people. They weren't booksmart, but they'd studied the patterns and changes of nature. _

_One of those people was Iachawra, the local healer. In the small society where everyone knew each other, Jeimiña was the favorite of many many older inhabitants - she's said to've been the cutest thing ever, and as you can see on some very old depictions she grew up as a beautiful woman! _

_Anyhow, everyone was all over Jeimiña, but Iachawra had watched her extra closely. She had an eye for magical potential, and thát girl was promising! The way she interacted with piñatas was beyond bewildering, not to mention the way plants reacted on her presence!_

_Ever since the girl was born, the small garden before her parents' tent - Jeimiña's people lived in tents - had been overgrown by wild sunflowers and poppies... Everywhere she went and stayed for a little while, flowers and such popped up!_

_It wouldn't be long until the girl would be asked to provide the community certian services. Nothing big, nothing disturbing, nothing tough, but nevertheless odd! The girl was asked to bless trees, her people believed the tree would grow more fruits if she did, thus Jeimiña blessed her first monkeyenut tree at the tender age of six!_

_Ever since then Jeimiña was regarded as a Goddess by her own people. As soon as the news of the Religious Revolution reached her jungle village, she left home to fight on the sides of Platia, Suelos and all those other new faces. _

_She had never worshipped the Old Gods like most had - they didn't exist in her culture, her people would only worship mother nature and her human representatives - Jeimiña being one of them!  
>The Old Gods weren't considered Gods at all; to the jungle people they were evil spirits that deceived humans so that those would serve them. Demons, but smarter!<em>

_They probably were right._

_A laughable thing is, Jeimiña didn't arrive in a major village until the revolition was over! News hardly ever reached her birthplace; even worldchanging changes took months or years to get to the jungle village. _

_I believe that the descendants of Jeimiña's family still live there, somewhere. They must have a lifestyle very similar to that they had back then!_

_But as soon as Jeimiña set a foot outside the rainforest she found a bigger wilderness... Everything was destroyed in the-bloody-war-I-can't-tell-you-kids-about-because-you-might-never-sleep-again... _

_Despite her marvel Jeimiña remained optimistic. It wouldn't be long or she'd be found by Suelos, the friendly God of fertility and soil._

_Suelos told her everything about the situation, his plans to build up a civilazation, his allies and his belief that Jeimiña was something special. Jeimiña confirmed that fact by telling him her life history as tree-blesser. _

_Jeimiña stayed at Suelos' until the circumstances balanced out again. In the meanwhile, Jeimiña helped to re-build the village and she learned more about the people who lived there. She found them foully, not to mention what she thought of their disgust with piñatas..._

_'I feel what you're coming from' Suelos had told her one night, when they were laying on their backs, staring at the straw ceiling of Suelos' house, like they always did. Many people who tell the tale of Jeimiña say she had a love affair with Suelos, but I've never found concrete proof of this. It is certain though that they got along fairly well. _

_'I'm glad you do... But what can I do about it?' the Goddess had asked. _

_'Educate them.'_

_'Educate?' Jeimiña had never thought of this. It sounded logical though, if she told everyone how amazing and helpful piñatas were, they'd probably get a better treatment._

_'Yes, educate. That's what I'm going to do at least. In a nearby village and its surrounding farms. Not about piñatas though, about soil. Agriculture.'_

_Two days later Suelos left Jeimiña and his fellow revolutionairies to help farmers from our Village with their plants. Jeimiña had devised a plan to get piñatas generally accepted. _

_In the middle of the night, she had sneaked out of the house and wandered to the edges of the jungle. She knew a Cinnamonkey family there, a young couple with a baby to die for. She had asked to mother if she could borrow it and when she explained her reasons the mother mokey just couldn't refuse._

_She was more than willingly to help her species to get a better life and found Jeimiña more than reliable. Nothing could happen to her suckling when in Jeimiña's arms!_

_When the morning fell in, the young woman requested all villagers to head to the main square. Suelos had built it; therefore a huge statue of his adorned the centre.  
>You can still visit the square today if you kids want to; Mariposa Village is not that far away from ours.<em>

_Anyway, when all villagers had arrived, Jeimiña took Cusco out of her sling. Of course the Cinnamonkey had no name, but Jeimiña felt the villagers would be able to relate to it better if it had._

_The villagers were shocked when they saw the baby monkey. Several gasps were heard and most people looked at the paper animal as if it was one of those despicible demons from Neragua._

_Jeimiña had expected such reactions though. She just smiled and pulled the wide-eyed Cusco a little closer. The poor thing had never really seen humans, and now about hundred of them were glaring at him! _

_'This' she spoke in a calm, steady voice, as if she was having a speech on someone's wedding day instead of changing Piñata Island's history dramatically 'is Cusco. He is what we call a Cinnamonkey where I live.'_

_At that moment, Cusco, who was a natural entertainer and suddenly realized he had an audience, made the most adorable cooing sound ever. _

_Most people in the crowd were parents, and the sounds Cinnamonkey made instantly reminded them of their human babies. That was exactly what Jeimiña had aimed for, and the monkey became a grand succes... As much of a succes that even the name if the island... Later was changed from plain 'Island' to 'Piñata Island'... Yawwn...''_

_VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP_

''Well kids'' Bart mumbled as he rubbed his eyes. ''I think it's time for you to go home... It's getting dark already!  
>I wish I could've told you more about the Islands origin, but eh, you know.''<p>

''You're becoming a tired old man, Bart'' Leafos joked. ''But I guess you're right about the dark... I don't want to sound like coward, but lately I've been feeling kind of... _watched _whenever I go outside after sundown. But it might have to do with that demon of a few weeks ago... Great Gods, Seedos, Ameena, I don't even know how you two can sleep at night! A possessed Dastardos had almost slaughtered you...''

''I've seen worse'' Seedos snorted.


	9. Spontaneous Actions

**Spontaneous Actions**

''Phew! Glad to be back in the garden! I'm tired as fudge!''

''But how can fudge ever be tired?'' Seedos wondered out loud. He looked askingly at his bigger sister, but she ignored him.

''Going to bed already? It's about half past nine... That's too early for a night like this.''

Leafos was absolutely right. It was a lovely evening. The temperature was pleasant; it was pretty warm but far not as hot as it had been in the afternoon. Also, there was no single cloud in the sky to spoil the amazing view of the vast blanket of stars!

''Hmm, you've got a point there girl!'' Ameena plumped down in the lush grass she'd grown. ''I suppose I'll try to stay awake just a little while longer to enjoy the night sky and the sounds of the nocturnal piñatas... I've always liked those! May I ask if you two join me?''

''Of course!'' Leafos exclaimed. ''I'll bring marshmallows, and hot chocolate and other fun campfire stuff! We're going to make a fire, right? Nights like these are not complete without a campfire!''

''Ehm... Okay...'' Ameena mumbled, kind of surprised by the enthiusiasm of her friend. ''And how about you, Seedos?''

The seedman had remained silent since his alarmingly naive question about fudge, but who could blame him? He was all caught up in his worries about his older brother; another day had officially passed and Dastardos still hadn't returned!

''I really have to go to my Shellybeans...'' he said, looking at the ground. When he looked up and saw the disappointed mask of Ameena and the angry mask of Leafos, he hurried to say: ''But, but, but eh, a little while longer won't hurt them!''

When the masks of the girls morphed back to normal the seed boy sat himself down. He watched Ameena make a fire and was desperately trying to think of something to say.  
>He didn't want to seem impolite, but the burden on his shoulders was growing heavier and heavier, which made him feel even more vacantly than usual.<p>

Suddenly, something jumped on him. Something made of paper. Something that might've had ADD.

''Bouncy! Don't!'' Ameena shouted.

The girl turned around and bursted out in laughter when she saw the image of her puppy 'attacking' Seedos.

''A-ahmeena... Take... this... pup off me! It's licking my mask!''

''That means he likes you'' she giggled as she lifted up Bouncy and petted his square head.

''Guys! I'm back!''

The Barkbark released himself from his owner's tight embrace and scooted towards Leafos. ''Wraf!''

''Hey Bouncy!'' she greeted the paper dog as she put the huge bag of marshmallows on the ground. Then she saw the blue sprinkles of confetti on Seedos' mask. ''I've told you before to get a Barkbark!''

''Never!'' the boy screamed shivery.

''It's alright, it's just a puppy!'' Ameena smiled.

''Seedos has bad experiences with the Barkbark dad used to have'' Leafos chuckled. ''The old dotterel got along pretty well with everyone in the family - even with Stardos who was kinda... different I guess, he was way more serious than we, the other siblings - but Seedos was the one Bulky couldn't get along with...  
>Whenever baby bro showed his mask, the good dog started growl and grouch.''<p>

''Just like its owner'' Seedos grumbled.

''Dad's not that bad! He's just a bit concerned about you - and I can't blame him! Oh...''

Leafos felt awkward when she realized she and her brother were discussing their daddy issues in Ameena's presence.

''Sorry Ameena'' she stumbled. ''Anyways... How was Patch?''

When she saw the gardener blush under her lovely pink Tigermisu mask, the uncomfortable epression on Leafos' face made place for an exultant smirk.

''What are you saying?'' Ameena giggled, putting another melted marshmallow in her mouth.

''You heard me'' Leafos sighed. ''I used to be afraid to go into thát outhouse over there!'' She pointed at the lapse barn that was bordering Ameena's garden. It indeed looked scary, the windows were cracked, some bricks were missing and on the roof the most awful decorative sun was placed. ''I always thought the place was haunted.''

''I see what you're coming from...'' Ameena mumbled ''I don't think it is, though.''

''I don't think it is either, but did you know Pester used the place for some of his experiments, in the past?''

''Pester? God, the creepy guy who's invented sour candy and smacks piñatas?''

''That's him! He used to be employed by my dad, you know. He calls himself 'Professor' now, but he once was an ordinary helper and he still hasn't finished school.''

''I never knew that!''

''Then now you do! I'm glad you haven't encoutered one of his Ruffians yet, or have you?''

Ameena shook her head.

''Fortunately! It's pretty strange, though... Your garden has reached a level Ruffians consider high enough, I know plenty of gardens like yours that get terrorized daily by Pester's stupid hooligans... It's horrible. You can try to hit them with your shovel or pay them, but only thing they really fear are Mallowolves and those guys are greedy too...''

''That temple'' Seedos suddenly burbled.

''What temple?'' Leafos asked annoyed. ''I was telling Ameena about how much of a plague Ruffians are!''

''Yes but before you were talking about the shed'' Seedos reasoned. ''You were scared to enter. We all where. But do you remember how we felt about the temple?''

''Oh, of course, yes, how could I forget?'' Leafos frowned. ''That thing's always intrigued me, I really badly wanted to write a Journal entry on it, but climbing the huge stairs got me spooked by itself...  
>But we - Stardos, Storkos, you and I - would challenge each other to go in, and we actually did one day, right?''<p>

''Right.'' A grin appeared on Seedos' mask. ''Best childhood memories ever. We ran out pretty quickly though.''

''Youw tawkin 'bout thah Incan temlah nea mah gaden?'' Ameena asked with her mouth full of marshmallows. She was a sugar addict and not afraid to admit it.

''Yep'' Seedos answered, grabbing a handful of marshmallows himself ''what are your thoughts on it, Ameena?''

How would she answer that? When she had first arrived on the Island, she had found the thing beautiful. Now that she'd been assaulted by a possessed undead person, woken up by Mallowolves from a pack that was supposed to have extincted completely and had heard that her lovely new home village actually had had a dark, dark history... The building mostly looked threatening to her.

''I don't know... Just wondering, is it Platia's temple?'' she threw in.  
>She could've called it Bulan's temple too, but she really didn't want to say that name out loud. Especially not at night.<p>

''Nah'' Leafos said laconically. ''That one's further to the North... Little is known about thát temple'' she pointed across the garden ''but the style it's built in is pretty similar to that of the Candas... Perhaps it's one of Suelos' creations, he visited our Village to educate our people, after all...''

''So, no Dark Gods involved?''

''Absolutely not'' Leafos snickered. ''If you want to bump in one of those you should go to the jungle... Rumour has it that that's where they hide nowadays whenever they visit the human world; they can't stand staying somewhere New God-related!''

''Hmm... Okay...'' A crazy, crazy thought crossed Ameena's mind.

''What's that?'' Seedos asked flustered. ''You have a weird look on your mask...''

''Oh, nothing!'' Ameena said in the most cloyingly sweet tone of voice. ''I just want to dare you two to... explore the unknown temple over there with me!''

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

When Ameena climbed the huge steps that led to the temple entrance, she seriously wondered what she'd gotten herself into. She was holding a burning torch and wearing a denim jacket. She had thrown it on quickly before they left. The evening had suddenly become a lot chillier after she had suggested to take a look inside the intimidately-looking building...

''It's stunning'' Seedos sighed. Ameena had never expected him to find such terrifying things beautiful.

''I'm not sure, Seedos...'' Leafos suddenly stood still. ''I... I find it strange that I didn't think of this before, but don't you remember why we ran away from it?''

''Nope. I was like five years old. We were kids. Kids get scared easily.''

''I think I recall what scared us again...''

Ameena's anxiety grew with that statement.

''Come on Leafos! You're ruining all the fun! Ameena wants to see more of Piñata Island, why scare her off from this great tourist attraction?''

''Seedos! This is no joke! We heard _noises._''

''Hmph! Probably just a few lousy Mothdrops or Sherbats! Maybe Mousemallows even! Come on, you're just making an Ellaphanilla out of a Taffly...''

''Ugh! I'm not - ehm, what did you say?''

''You're making wááy to much of a big deal of this!'' Seedos giggled. ''Even I don't think anything bad will happen down there. Or should I say up there?'' Seedos wondered, looking at the huge stairs they'd just climbed halfway.

''Really, I don't think you should say anything at all... Tell me, where's the sudden Indiana Jones attitude coming from?''

''Indiana who?''

Leafos hit her forehead. That boy apparently knew even less about the mainland entertainment industry than she'd expected him to...  
>And what was even more disturbing, he was acting exactly like their lost brother! The way he showed off, pretended not to be scared and tried to persuade them to go with him... Yes, that was Stardos all over again!<p>

''Great, fine'' Leafos indulged. If this boosted her younger brother's ego and made him feel more confident about himself, well, she really gave a lot about his wellbeing. That boy needed _something _to feel like a man, the only thing he took pride in now was just... Seeds. Shellybeans. He needed to feel brave for once, that would do him good.  
>He was probably right about the sounds too, those most likely were just dusty piñatas...<p>

But Ameena looked pretty freaked out by now - the poor girl was shivering! - and she didn't want to make someone do something they didn't want to...

''Let's let Ameena decide'' Leafos suggested. ''If you don't feel like, we won't go... And if you want we can also go back tomorrow, when it's all light and all...''

''No'' Ameena spoke. ''I dared you guys to go, right?'' The girl heard her own voice and she didn't even believe what she was saying herself. ''I... am not scared! And I really want to see what's inside the temple!''

Seedos grinned. ''Then that's a deal!'' He immediately continued climbing.

Leafos and Ameena glared at each other in disbelief, then they followed the example of the seed boy. When they finally reached the entrance, they saw Seedos was observing inscriptions on the temple wall.

''No way you can read thát!'' Leafos mocked. ''You can hardly even read modern letters!''

''Those are no letters! They're small drawings!'' her little brother exclaimed enthusiastic. ''Look, that's a sun! And that must be a large pumpkin! And ohhhh, I think that's a Shellybean shell!''

''Absolutely not. That clearly is an ordinary spiral. Might be the spiral of life or something - whatever it is, it's no Shellybean shell by any means...''

''C-come on guys!'' Ameena noticed her teeth were chattering like crazy. ''I-it r-really doesn't... Let's j-just get in!''

''Are you sure you are still okay with this, Ameen? You're shaking at all...'' She was concerned about the younger girl.

''T-totally!'' Ameena made herself say, and she even managed to fake a wide smile. ''And t-t-t-that's... Just excitement, really!''

''Alright then... Ah, man, no! Seedos' gone inside already!'' Leafos grumbled as she noticed her younger brother was gone. ''I hate being responsible for that little brat. He's so stubborn, in the name of the Gods! He never - I recall NEVER - listens to my good advice! Oh, I'm so scared things'll go terribly wrong with him when he gets older...''

''Leafos? What's all the scolding for?'' Seedos' mask appeared around the corner of the temple's door frame. ''Don't be mad at me sis - and don't you be scared Ameena, I've found something _really _cool...''


	10. Kelele

**Kelele**

''Wow! Seedos! You weren't exaggerating!''

''What are these?'' Ameena felt astonished. She was looking at the ceiling of the temple - which was illuminated by the torches the siblings and she had brought in and the moonlight shining through the building's ventilation shafts. The huge, open space itself seemed empty.

What really got the friends' attention were the colorful creatures that were fluttering several metres above them. They seemed featherlight, made the most elegant airdives and emitted the strangest sounds...

Despite its absurdity and chaoticness, the whole spectacle looked harmonious and brilliant in a way. It looked like some strange, unearthly kind of ballet show, though it couldn't quite me compared with something as physical as ballet...  
>This was different from <em>anything <em>in the world, Ameena almost felt as if this was something superiour to human race; therefore impossible to be comprehented by her human brain...

''Those are... Sherbats!''

Ameena glanced from the strange 'Sherbats' to Leafos. The girl had the same wonderstruck expression on her mask as her. Then she looked up again and noticed her friend was right. Those _were _Sherbats!

The point was, they couldn't be ordinary Sherbats, those would never have such an enchanting effect on people. Eventhough Sherbats were rather magnificent by themselves, they remained pretty common piñatas.

''This is...I think this...'' Leafos stuttered, still looking up in awe.

''The long-forgotten colony of the Kelele!'' Seedos was delighted. He had actually _discovered _something of importance, something that would interest people more than his seed collection! This find would make him a hero, he had retrieved something legendary.

''Ke... lele? Are they something similar to the Canda wolves?''

''You know those, Ameena? Yes, they are, actually! But just like the Canda these were supposed to be an extinct species... Who could've known that they were hiding in a deserted temple, only metres away from dad's garden!'' Seedos lifted his torch a little higher. ''Shall we look around? Leafos?''

''Oh, of course! I was just... Great Gods, they are beautiful. Remember that fairy tale Mother used to tell us, about the hidden city of the Kelele? I think we just walked into that place!''

''Hmm, yes, probably...'' Seedos walked deeper into the temple, rubbing the chin of his mask. He could've sworn he saw something glinstering in the darkness ahead... When he got nearer, near enough for the light of his torch to shine on the shimmering object he gasped: ''Look! Look at those!''

Leafos and Ameena nearly got a stroke when they saw what Seedos was enthiusing about. What the boy had found - it was kinda uncertain what it actually was! - seemed to be made of some crystal-like material...

No normal crystal though eventhough that would've been a major find by itself. This was an unknown kind of mineral. Not only did it have the prettiest tone of lilac, the stone seemed to... pulsate - as if it had a heart! It emitted some sort of light by itself too, a very weak glow that could only be seen when you were standing a few metres in front of it - in a dark temple! - but the idea of a crystal even radiating light at all was incredible by itself...

''Wow!'' Ameena's amazed voice cut through the silence. ''I bet even Bart hasn't ever seen such a thing...''

''Such a thing... Indeed... If we only knew what it was!'' Leafos took a step closer. The three were standing near to the object, but in their awe they hadn't undertaken to actually get to touching distance... ''I _need _to take a sample of this! We got to send this to the science lab in the Central City, once we know the composition of this matter we - ehm, basically I! - can write a pioneering article on it! I might even get published in the _Islander Daily_! ''

''Ohh Gosh...'' Ameena suddenly felt uncomfortable with the whole treasure finding scenario. She'd seen plenty of films in which the main characters would go nuts when they'd found something of high value, and Leafos now had that same lickerish look in her eyes...

''True'' Seedos agreed. ''It'd be great if someone analyzed this stuff... But I'm more interested in the archeological science! I mean, what in the world could this mean to these Sherbats?''

''Let's see...'' Leafos squinted against the weak but penetrating light as she walked around one of the pillars of sparkle. ''Have you noticed how weirdly these are shaped? They sorta look like... I don't know, their curves are so soft, so soft and rounded... They remind me of - Ameena, what's that building called the pope lives in?''

''I've no idea'' the girl stumbled ''but I know what you mean... This looks like some strange dome structure...''

''Exactly! The Sherbats must use them as a temple...''

''_Or _as houses!'' Seedos interrupted her joyfully. ''You know how some piñatas like poshy things... Glad my Shellybeans aren't materialistic like that - I'd never be able to afford!''

''Hmmm possibly... I can't find an entrance though, or window, or any inlet!''

Seedos shrugged. ''Who knows how those Sherbats get in? They're Kelele. Like Canda. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a system of shafts and tunnels that runs through the entire building, they could have built a complete infrastructure all hidden in the temple walls! And it'd be under the ground too of course, in the ceiling, everywhere!''

''Why would they do that?'' Leafos asked skeptically.

''To keep uninvited visitors out of their buildings of course! Especially those bigger in size than theirselves, like us! I mean, who knows what we'd taken from them if we'd had a chance to get in... I can't blame them.''

''Doesn't get _us _any further, though...''

Ameena yawned. ''However... I'm afraid it's bedtime for me...''

''It's far passed your bedtime!'' Leafos mocked, desperately trying to find a hidden switch in the wall. ''I think even most Sherbats would call it a night!''

''Then I guess we should go...'' The girl yawned once again.

''Are you alright?'' Seedos asked, surprised by the fact some human beings actually _needed _their nightrest... He couldn't recall the last time he was as knackered! ''You look as if we need to support you to walk to the temple exit... Entrance... Exit...''

A watery smile appeared on her Tigermisu mask. ''That's not necessary...''

She stretched, rubbed her weary, prickly eyes and started walking. She hadn't slept properly for days... Even before her actual introduction to the Canda wolves, she'd been woken up by... well, possibly them? The idea of having met two legendary piñata tribes in just two days was of course fantastical, but just lifting her legs was so laborious and wearisome at this point that she didn't even give a fudge.

''Ameena!" A loud cry abruptly awoke her from her trance. ''What's wrong..? Don't you see _that_?"

''Hm, what?''

Ameena turned around and she saw that Leafos pointed up. In the few moments it took her to turn her face to the ceiling, she noticed that the melodious night songs of the Kelele had taken place for an awful sort of... screeching. And what was far more alarmingly the entire colony of colored bats was nosediving right into the group of friends, as if they were aiming to attack them...

Suddenly, the girl was wide awake.

''What in the world are they upto?''

''I'm not willing to find out!'' Leafos grabbed her younger brother's hand, and started running. In a blink of an eye she'd passed Ameena, who couldn't do anything but throw herself on the ground and hope they'd fly over at this point...

Oddly enough, her stragety seemed to work! The bats fluttered over and... Wait...

''Seedos!''

Apparently, an air raid was not quite what the piñatas had in mind. No, they'd actually _lifted _Seedos _up_...

The boy might've screamed, but the shrieky sounds the Sherbats made were so loud that it couldn't be transcended by one human kid. All that was discernible from Seedos' doom was the colorful tornado surrounding him, lifting him up and taking him to...  
>To where, actually?<p> 


	11. The Keleader

**The Keleader**

''Sidos!''

Seedos looked up in curiosity. The thing that'd most likely brought him here! In person!

A slight bit of dissappointment hit him when he saw that the strange thing was nothing but another Sherbat, it was a bit bigger than the rest perhaps, but it remained a Sherbat.

''Hello! Call me Seedos, please... Take a seed! I have plenty of them in my backpack!''

Seedos took off his backpack and searched for a good-quality pumpkin seed. He knew Sherbats ate pumpkins - Jack O'Laterns at least -, and visiting arriving somewhere empty-handed was always asocial.

''I don't think that that would grow up here. Too dark. Not moisty enough.''

''But I don't know what else to give you!''

''That's okay with me. This is not exactly a tea party.''

''True.''

Seedos now took his time to observe the Sherbat more closely. It actually was a _whole lot _bigger than his fellow Kelele, the bat piñata was huge! Its confetti was in the deepest shade of purple, and his eyes looked as if they were made out of jade beads, instead of the usual glass ones.

''You must be the leader of the Kelele.''

''I am, yes.''

''I have so many questions...''

''I would answer those, but I've brought you here because I want to tell you something. Something of great importance.''

''Then one of my questions' partly answered... First, what is this place for?''

''This?'' The Sherbat made a wide gesture with his wing. ''This loft? It's a tomb. You see that sarcophagus? That's the final resting place of the temple's High Priest and his wive. The pottery and golden idols you see scattered on the ground, are their belongings. We, the Kelele, use this place to hold important meetings and such, and of course only our most respected members are aloud here.''

''So it's a great honor for me to be here?''

Seedos glanced around. He saw only a few of the dozens of Sherbats that had lifted him up were still in the room. Two were sitting on the sarcophagus and... about five were hanging upside down from the remarkably low ceiling. He was glad he was on the shorter side!

''From the Kelele's point of view, yes. But you are a very respectable man to us.''

''Me?'' Seedos pointed at himself, not really believing what the big bat just had told him. He wasn't even a man, let along a respectable one! ''I...'' he said, heavily blushing under his mask ''yeah, that brings me to something else! How come you know my name?''

A small smile appeared on the bat's lips. ''I'll tell you in a minute. Any more questions, before I tell you what you're here for?''

''Ehm, well, only one. You're a piñata, right? Where have you learned to speak? Do you think I can teach my Shellybeans that too? I've made a few attempts, you know, but I failed time after time...''

''I'm sorry to disappoint you, but that's impossible. Talking is hard for piñatas. I am the only living piñata that can, as far as I'm concerned... In order to talk, you have to be beyond intelligent - as a piñata. Understanding the human language is hard, not all piñatas are capable of doing so... You humans have so many words! You have words for everything! And you also have this awful thing called... _grammar._'' The Kelele spat the last word bitterly. ''Took me EIGHT years to master! And then there's the biological reason why most piñatas will never learn to speak...''

''What biological reason?'' Seedos and his siblings had never attended primary school - let alone secondary! On that regard they were just like Pester's Ruffians...

''The vocal cords'' the Sherbat clarified. ''Humans are the only... _mortal _species that have them. Piñatas don't, but we Sherbats are slightly different from our neighing, growling, barking and howling conspecifics... We actually have echolocation. We can transmit sound waves, which we don't only use to see - we don't exactly have the best eyesight - but also to communicate with each other. The 'voice' you hear now, are my lowest-pitched sound waves, deformed into the words the human race uses and comprehends.''

That gave Seedos food for thought. He didn't get half the purple bat was saying, but he DID grasp that the Kelele had had gone through great effort in order to learn to speak, and that his voice somehow not was an actual voice... And, which was most importantly, that he would NEVER be able to teach his Shellybeans the same, for some obscure 'biological' reason.

''Is that all you want to know for now?''

It took a while for the question to reach Seedos' vacant brain. When it finally did, the boy answered with a confused: ''Ehm, yeah, I guess - I think so...''

''You are tired, aren't you?'' The bat closed his jade eyes a millisecond longer than he usually did when he blinked. ''So am I...''

''I'm not tired!'' Seedos said defiantly.

''Yes, you are. You just might not recognize the feeling... Someone I know told me you don't recognize lots of your feelings nowadays, and when I look at you, I think that person is right...''

''What person?'' The bat actually had contact with humans? Ah well, that DID explain why he spoke 'human' like a human would... And why he knew Seedos' name.

''The reason why you're here. First things first. The Council of Kelele have decided that yóu...''

''Wait. It's NOT first things first if you tell him in this order...''

Seedos' gasped. He knew that hoarse, raucous, sarcastic voice... And he knew the thin, undead person that came floating from a shaded corner even better!

''Dastardos!''

''Bro.''

Before he knew it, Seedos was wrapped up in a cold, bony but heartwarming embrace.

''You weren't supposed to mix into the conversation like that...'' the Kelele bat hissed, fluttering up, down, up, down with the most frustrated look on his face... That little piñata had a short temper - the way he threw a tantrum he reminded Seedos of a way smarter and more magnificent version of Langston!

Hey, how was _that _guy able to talk anyway? If that stupid Lickatoad could, why not his lovely Shellybeans?

''I personally think that our brother-banter is more important than your stupid little talk'' Dastardos scoffed.

''No! No, no, no, no!''

''Daz? What's going on here? A warning?''

''Listen, brother.'' Dastardos had grabbed Seedos' shoulders and moved the chin of his baby brother's mask slightly in the direction of his'. He wanted to look into eyes that were similar to his own. ''I believe we haven't talked in a while?'' he snickered. ''Haven't you missed me? I'm not the one to admit such stuff, but I kinda... missed you... Have you been taking care of Magnar while I was away?''

Seedos grinned. ''Of course I have!''

''Great! He really needs his life sweets, you know.''

''If you just would've let me finish!''

The Sherbat was ve-ry agitated now. Dastardos didn't want to upset the piñata like that - he really respected the bat, eventhough he didn't always exactly act like he did.

''Okay, okay. Calm down. How about I just tell my baby bro how I ended up here? We can bore him with the rest of the story later.''

The Sherbat seemed to be soothed by that, but this certainly wasn't the momentous way of welcoming his guest he had in mind. ''Fine... fine, that's fine'' he fizzed reluctantly.

''Alright...'' Dastardos murmured, with a slight hint of rush in his voice. ''Seedos, I'm here for very serious reasons.''

''Why Stardos? Why?''

''_Da_stardos...'' The reaper smirked. ''Because something mad evil is out there to drink my blood... But - as much as I... love you - I think you deserve to know what happened to me that night in detail... I _know _that that's a question that kept you up, and I also know that now that you see me again you're more curious than ever... Ready to hear a real story that's stranger than fiction - even crazier than that newest novel of that chick Franker?''

Seedos nodded. Of course he was!

''Of course you are.'' Dastardos smiled. ''It all started the night of the assault - when that despicable Tsi managed to take over my dead, emaciated body...''


	12. Dastardos  Struggles

**Dastardos' Struggles**

_''The story I'm about to tell you doesn't start with the events of a month ago. No, this whole tangled situation goes wáááy back, right to the moment in time where our childhoods turned bitter and our lives became difficult._

_You know all about my Souring process and how Pester talked me in it, but there is something I've never told you before. Something even Pester doesn't know._

_Right after I had 'transformed' in to the frightening being I am now, none other than Suelos - the God of Soil - came to me. I remember that night, I had hovered my way to the dead tree in the desert arduously, I hadn't quite mastered the art of floating yet... I was exhausted and in intense pain. Every square piñocentimeter of my body HURTED, the Souring process had burned away the top layer of my skin._

_I touched my maskless face. It felt sore, bare, and I could only imagine how the thick, just-formed scars marred my relatively handsome face..._

_I recall falling asleep, laying on my back and with Magnar next to me. He usually laid on my belly, but of course he couldn't that one night. He acted very... detached, too. I wasn't the Stardos he knew and loved! I guess he felt the same way back then you still feel nowadays, Seedos, but the Macaraccoon got over it and learned to accept... Oh, well, Magnar of course has witnessed something you haven't... _

_'Dastardos.' The way he pronounced my new name and woke me up is still gives me shivers. You're not used to me being impressed by anything, right? That's because I've seen both great and horrible things bro, this being one of the former. 'Dastardos, it is me. Your forefather.'_

_Therefore, the God of Soil is your forefather too. And Leafos' and Storkos', but not dad's - I'm glad he isn't, dad doesn't deserve it, the man's a jerk - Suelos' blood runs on Mother's side of the family._

_'Who are you?' I remember asking with my eyes shut. _

_'Please, Son. Open your eyes.''_

_I did, and found myself gasping when I saw the Soil God was bending over me. He seemed to radiate golden beams of sunlight, but it didn't hurt my poor weary, prickly, Sourified eyes at all._

_'My... forefather? You?'_

_I tried to sit up straight to show him my respect, but Suelos told me: 'No Son. Please don't. You don't have to.'_

_I immediately layed down again, noticing the God's golden mask was remarkably friendly and familiar in a way, human almost._

_'I descend from a God?'_

_'You _are _a God.'_

_'What?'_

_I couldn't believe my undead ears. I must be halluciating, I thought, this delusion must be a side effect of Pester's damned machine. _

_If I really descended from... If I really _was _a God, Suelos wouldn't tell me like that, telling someone they're actually a deity isn't something you announce in such a nonchalant way._

_'Come on, my Dastardos. Haven't you studied the Old Books? You should've known I don't like symbolistic ceremonies and all that Moozipan excreta...''_

_'I'm a God?' I asked in awe. I'd always felt like I was FAR from the average dumb gardener's son - I was smart, intelligent, sublime almost! - but I'd always thought that was part of my somewhat arrogant persona...  
>Eventhough I think dad's a douche, I know that I share certain similarities with him!<em>

_Suelos grinned. 'No my Son, you can be cocky at times, but you're not quite as bad as your father...' _

_From that moment I knew he could read my mind and became skeptical about the whole 'God-thing'..._

_'Liar! Gods can't read the minds of their equals!' I whispered bitterly. 'I can't be a God!'  
>I was not in the mood for games. Pester had told me I'd become legendaric... And look at what happened to me!<em>

_'Who told you all Gods are equal?' Suelos had an amused smirk on his mask. _

_'Well...'_

_'Listen, Dastardos.' The fact that Suelos kept calling me by the name Pester had just given me made me nauseous. It confirmed the fact that I had lost my former identity. 'Haven't you noticed how all of us... ''New Gods'', ''Young Gods'', I prefer to not call us even Gods at all, but... Haven't you noticed how we've all replaced an Old God, how I took Terah's place and Platia Bulan's?'_

_I nodded. _

_'Nobody has _ever _replaced Cueraça.'_

_My nausea grew more and more intense. Even an idiot would know what the God was about to ask... _

_'Even before your death you've been collecting piñatas' life sweets, without anyone noticing...' Suelos gave me a sickening, encouraging look. 'You would make the ultimate reaper.'_

_'I do that for Magnar.' I scowled at the deity. I didn't like this at all - no way I was going to float around in the middle of the night, looking for souls I could take to Neragua._

_'The Island needs a reaper.'_

_'I'm not going to reap for anyone but Magnar.'_

_'You can keep the life sweets for Magnar, but the job just has to be done. Officially. You have to come with me to one of the Sanctuaries in the jungle to be blessed and be initiated by the Gods.'_

_'Why?'_

_'You don't have to reap for human souls!' The deity ignored my question. _

_After having discussed my duties and privileges as a God of Death, I decided to accept his offer. How could I not take a chance like that, handed by the most important God in the history of Piñata Island? _

_'I am glad that I was able to convince you.'_

_'I am too' I admitted, while yawning. I had the hardest time keeping my eyes open - the God and I had debated and consulted for hours._

_'There is one last thing we have to talk through, though.'_

_'Now?' I asked incredulously. Even Magnar - who's a little night owl - was snoring peacefully._

_'I'm sorry, Dastaros' the deity apologized to me 'but I can't visit you as much as I would want to... Everything has to be discussed now and there is something we haven't talked over yet.'_

_I wondered what on Earth that could be. We had even decided what I would wear - a simple brown blouse and an exact replica of Cueraça's mask! - which was the smallest detail of my task I could possibly think of._

_'Pester will expect certain things of you...' _

_My face clouded. 'Did you really HAVE to bring that up?'_

_'Yes. And don't give me attitude like that, Son. Pester thinks he's a really smart boy and he thinks he's totally enslaved you... He - naturally - hasn't. He can't hurt you and neither can he hurt Magnar, he can start rumours about you, but who would believe him? The reaper, being the oldest, gifted son of Jardineiro? Who would buy that? No, Pester can't ruin anything for you but...  
>He will try.'<em>

_I cocked a brow, that had turned grey in the souring process, to my disgust. 'So?'_

_'Eventhough Pester is a trifling, small man, he will do anything he can to bother you. That means; sending his army of Ruffians out to get you, pull about or even destroy your house while you're away, he might even try to kill you!'_

_'That's annoying, indeed.'_

_'Pester is as powerful as a mortal enemy can get...'_

_Then something began to dawn on me. '_Mortal _enemy?' This meant I'd have immortal enemies too!_

_'I'm afraid you will, yes.' The God gave me an apologetic look. Again. 'I _know _Pester will treat you horrible, and I know you will hate it... But you really need someone who keeps checking for you to see if you're alright because, well... As the new God Reaper you can't foresee what will happen to you in the future... If you disappear, Pester will miss his assistant and come try to find you. He might even rescue you one day.'_

_'Great, great, great!' I could just resist the urge to pull my tangled, gray hair._

_We both knew who were out there to get me if I would respond to my Godly function, therefore we didn't speak about it out loud.  
>Cueraça didn't like copycats. Neither did his legions of demons.<em>

_Nothing too noteworthy happened until Ameena arrived at the Island, though. Of course, when I was reaping in the rainforest at night I could feel how the demons up in the trees were lurking at me, Cueraça appeared in my nightmares and sometimes my mask would crack for no reason, but those were just warnings, I guess. Don't do anything too impulsive, don't missuse your phony title, don't forget who the lawful God of Death is._

_I kept doing what Suelos and his fellow Gods expected me to, and except for Pester's pesterings and the unhealed scars of the past, my life wasn't even that bad._

_But when that girl... I don't know _what _she's triggered, but suddenly I started to hear voices and have nightmares more often. I didn't trust her, I thought she either was a twisted mainland voodoo witch or the reincarnation of a Priestress working for the Dark Gods..._

_Later I learned my dismay was due to the contemptible little demon Tsi, but I haven't quite discovered why he did those things._

_Of course I understand his plan stragetically - undead bodies are easier to infiltrate in than ones that are completely alive, and with the body of a half God like me he thought he'd be able to do much greater deeds, such as destroying the girl his boss saw as a threat, and if he was finished doing that he could destroy my soul - but I can't figure out his motives._

_Was he aiming for the power or just taking orders from above? It doesn't matter thát much, but why in the world do the Old Gods see Ameena as a possible danger?_

_I've been observing here from a skylight in the temple ceiling lately and I'm pretty sure I've figured her out. She's not dangerous. She's more innocent than - what's the little Flutterscotch girl called?_

_So, don't you worry, bro. I take back what I said a month ago. You can hang with Ameena as much as you want, hahaha... She's naive. She's kinda dumb, but somehow a very talented gardener. Piñatas love her, even Magnar wanted to be acquainted with her. _

_She really disgusts me though, I mean, she likes PATCH! _

_However... That Tsi aimed to destroy her via my body, remains a fact. He's not the kind of demon that gives up after one failed attempt either... _

_There will be more more attacks in the future, and unfortunately those attacks are not only concerning me. Ameena and I are still in danger, but Tsi will want to take revenge on Patch too and he intended to kill you right from the beginning... Chamkele will explain your part in all this later. I know you're worried - and you should be! - but if you stay focused, not much will... I mean, Tsi's back to the boggy world of the Lizardi... _

_But I suppose I've given you enough background information. Right after Patch had expelled Tsi from my undead body, I was weak as hell. I was stunned too - had that moron of a doctor really managed to A. wound me and B. send a fucking demon back?_

_I knew I couldn't stay in the clinic, though. Or even the Village. I've no idea if it's just Tsi or if there's a whole legion of monsters after me, but I didn't want to bring the risk of a demon assault into an inhabited place... _

_I had to flee to either the jungle or the Dessert Desert, and luckily Patch got up to get himself coffee or whatever which gay stuff he likes to drink. _

_I took a chance and forced myself up. _

_Trying to stand straight hurted so DAMN MUCH! My spine was broken you see - never imagined getting my spine stabbed by an idiot like Patch - but fortunately, I was able to float. _

_Floating was a perishing task though - and right when I had left the Village I realized I wouldn't make it all the way to the wilderness. Luckily, I knew an even better hiding place - you guessed it, the temple we find ourselves in now!_

_This place was once built and abandoned by Suelos. It's a sacred place; IF Cueraça and his men are after me, they'd never DARE to enter a sanctuary that once belonged to the people who beat their asses and took over their positions!_

_Plus, the temple being close to both my former houses is a great asset too... Having the ability to keep an eye on certain things that happen around here is great; these times are more bemusing than you might think, brother._

_But I'll come back to that later._

_My journey to the temple didn't go smoothly at all... I had to make my way through the shadows and bushes, I didn't want anyone to see me, and you know how crowded country trails can be in the early morning!_

_When I finally arrived inside the temple I felt like I was about to die again. I swear I suffered from palpatations at that point - and normally I hardly even have a heartbeat! I'll admit that I was afraid too - I had tired myself too much and was in a bad condition again, if Tsi was lurking around the corner of my consciousness he could easily infiltrate into me again... _

_Eww... I just realized how gay thát sounds!_

_Suddenly though, something colorful drew my attention. It was pink I believe, and it was fluttering a few metres above me._

_I looked up, and saw something I had never imagined to see, not even in the eternal life I had still ahead of me. _

_I saw a species that shoud've extincted centuries ago - the lost colony of the Kelele bats!_

_My amazement didn't last long, though. I was in pain, I was tired, and the possible idea of Tsi coming back scared the fuck out of me._

_I didn't even want to, but before I knew it, I shrieked: 'Help! Somebody... Ah-any of you-hou... Help... Help me!' I really sounded like a sissy; sorta like you when I first found you in that swamp tree of yours, bro! _

_However, right after that ridiculous cry of distress of mine, dozens of Sherbats plunged down, clinched my clothes, skin and even hair in their little claws, and lifted me up. Their grip hurted, but I felt so relieved that I didn't even bother. It's a common fact that the Kelele are great healers - I'm pretty sure they're more medically talented than Patching-no!_

_I don't remember much of the flight up, but it must've been awesome. Even I - as a God - don't think getting lifted up by a colorful tornado of superiour piñatas is a usual thing! _

_Before I knew it I was here, in this room. The injury on my back was even worse than I thought, and the Kelele had laid me down on the Priest's sarcophagus. Any normal human being would've seen this as a threat or a sign that they were running out of time, but I was just grateful to have a place to rest on._

_Then, Chamkele entered the room..._

_My first impression of him was: Wow. Just wow. I really shouldn't say this because I don't want Cham to feel like he's the most awesome thing in the world, but not even Suelos or any of the other Gods have made such an impression on me as Cham did._

_'Dastardos' I recall him saying. I of course was flabbergasted that the bat could speak. 'It's a great honor to meet you.'_

_'Same to you' I groaned. 'But if you please could... Ahh...' _

_'You're injured!' Chamkele exclaimed. _

_Everything that happened after Chamkele's oh-so-sharp diagnosis is all a blur, but I dó remember a purple lightening bolt and an intense, terribly intense pain. It was a tingly sensation, I, I can't quite describe it..._

_But it was only a matter of minutes until the pain had faded away completely. _

_'I'm feeling better' I admitted. _

_'Great.' A small smile appeared on Chamkele's dark purple face. 'You must be tired... I am afraid I can not let you rest yet, though...'_

_'I know.' I gulped. 'Cueraça's men...'_

_'They're preparing for another war' Chamkele confirmed my fears 'but that assault on you was just an independant attack by this terrorist called Tsi, nothing that involved Cueraça's actual army, really.' _

_The big bat heaved a sigh, and I couldn´t help but do the same._

_If one trifling lizard terrorist could almost take MY life, the life of a half God, then what could a whole army of trained lizard SOLDIERS do to mankind? Not to mention Cueraça himself. He had abilities to take life like no other, he was the True Reaper..._

_'That is worrying, eh?' Chamkele was fluttering right in front of my face now, giving me concerned looks. 'The world as we know it will...' He couldn't bring himself to speaking the words that were on his mind. 'Unless we do something...'_

_'What cán we do?' I had no idea._

_Chamkele shrugged. Him shrugging his huge, imposant wings looked kinda whimsical to me. _

_'We will have to stay together, my ally. Make plans. Go through them. Warn the other Gods. A piñata reaper and a Sherbat won't make a big difference in this battle, I'm afraid...'_

_'So, I'll stay here...' I groaned. 'In the temple.'_

_'Yes. You can sleep here if you want, but if you don't, there's a small, empty room just down that passage.' The bat pointed at the room´s eastern wall, but I didn't bother with following his gesture with my eyes. The pain might've gone away, but I was more exhausted than ever.''_


	13. A Healthy Dose Of Disbelief

**A Healthy Portion Of Disbelief**

''That... That... That's impossible!'' Seedos exclaimed. ''Stardos, you can't be a God, you can't know Suelos - he's died centuries ago!''

''He's _disappeared_ centuries ago'' Dastardos mocked. ''And so have the Kelele bats...''

''No!''

''No? The proof's pretty concrete to me.''

''But STILL!''

''Ehm, I am sorry Seedos, Dastardos, I know that the truth is pretty concerning and unbelievable...'' The brothers had totally forgotten about Chamkele. Their reunion was of course way more important than an oversized Sherbat, no matter how much the piñata mattered to the Island's history and wellbeing. ''I truly am sorry... Reunifications with lost family members are priceless... But we are running out of time.''

''You're right.'' Dastardos, who had been bending over his little brother only moments ago, regained his posture and turned to Chamkele. ''You tell him. Please.''

''I will. Seedos.''

''Yes?'' Seedos asked in dubiety. He didn't like the seriousness in the bat's voice at all. It was that dark kind of seriousness, the tone in which people would talk if they were about to anounce bad news.

''Please, do not look at me like that... It won't be THAT bad...'' The smile on the Chamkele's lips was totally fake. ''I just want to... you know, explain your part in all this!''

''Alright.'' Seedos took a silk handkerchief out of one of the pockets of his shorts and wiped off his forehead. When he put it back a certain sense of grief hit him, something he hadn't felt in a long time...

The handkerchief he had just used had once belonged to his mother, and eventhough he usually managed to supplant his feelings to the very border of his psyche... Her dissappearance was something that would still get him sad from time to time, more than sad, probably.

''Seedos'' Chamkele whispered, affected by the emotional look on Seedos' mask, which was normally so neutral ''from the very moment you were born, Terah hated you.''

''What?''

''Terah - Old Goddess of Soil, predecessor of Suelos - _hated _you.''

''But why?''

''Because... Eventhough Terah is a cruel, heartless lady, seeds are naturally drawn to her, she is the one who has created them, after all...'' The idea of a monster having created his number one favorite thing in the world made Seedos shiver.  
>''Yeah, I know, that is a toughie to get over'' Chamkele grinned. ''However... Right from the day you first held a spade - you was two years old, Jardineiro teached his children the arts of gardening from a very young age - seeds decided you were more... Friendly, or even more interesting than Terah. I don't know everything about it, but you sure aroused Terah's anger!''<p>

''I never knew Terah liked seeds as much as I did!''

''Oh, she does! But for completely different reasons than you do, young friend...''

Seedos maskpalmed himself. Not Ameena, but HE had caused all this misery. ''I'm so stupid... I should've...''

''You are not stupid. Terah is just a vengeful old hag... And really, Terah is fáár from our biggest concern! Listen to me, though... I will only tell you this once, because we will most probably never meet again. Whenever you get an uncomfortable feeling, or whenever you feel like someone is watching you... Get to the Village as fast as you can. You can not take down demons or even a Goddess on your own.''

''What do you mean?''

''Also'' Chamkele ignored Seedos' question ''do not ever leave your house before sunrise or after sundown... The New Gods might have expelled them from civilazation, but the laws of evil deities and demons still apply in the wilderness.''

''I live in a bog...''

''I know that. It may be better for you to leave that tree and stay with your dad and sister for a while...''

''N-n-no!'' Dastardos looked up from the Kelele bat he was feeding. He had his chores in the temple, and providing the most important Sherbats with the most delicate sweets was one of those. Did he hear a cry in his brother's voice?

''Seedmour. Don't be a fag.''

Chamkele scowled at Dastardos. He didn't like the insensitive behaviour the half God would show from time to time.

''Why don't you want to live with your family, Seedos?''

''I-I-I can't leave my Shellys alone!'' The boy was sniveling now, and he reached for his handkerchief again, which made him only more upset.

''Oh, Seedos, please, they can look after theirselves, especially since it's just for a short while! This situation won't last that long at all...''

Dastardos coughed his most accusitory cough. He didn't like people - or... beings - who made important things sound breezier than they actually were.

Fortunately, Seedos didn't notice this. All he could think about was the new, awful reality.

''I know it sounds harsh... Maybe you can take them with you? Ask Ameena if they can stay in her garden for a short while, I am sure a sweet girl like her would not mind! Do not spill Dastardos' little secret though, and nor should you tell her that evil Gods are lurking... Argh, young friend, this can not be easy for you!''

Then, Chamkele did something astonishing. He stroke down on Seedos' shoulder and gave him a big hug. Seedos, who didn't get hugs often - not even when he needed them - couldn't help but find... comfort in the odd embrace.

''Thank you'' he murmured when the bat finally let go of him.

''You are welcome. But it is time for you to go now. The sun is rising and we don't want Leafos and Ameena to get even more worried about you than they already must be.''

''True...''

''Sigh... I truly would love to see a different ending to this story, but, you know... Faith does not always settle for happy ends.''

''This is no story.'' The bat and Seedos turned their heads to Dastardos, who was sitting on the High Priest's sarcophagus as if it was a bench in the park. ''This is only a chapter... This conflict hasn't quite ended yet!''

Chamkele rolled his jade eyes. Dastardos was so blind when it came to situations like these. The worst thing he could do now was making the young boy even more worried, and what did mister Piñata Reaper do?

''Say goodbye to your brother, Seedos. You won't see each other again in a while, I am afraid...''

Dastardos got up from the sarcophagus and floated towards a very, VE-RY confused Seedos.

''You'll be good, bro'' he whispered as he patted the boy on his shoulder.

''Dastardos! I love you!'' He really badly wanted to hug his brother again, but the idea of touching that cold, emaciated skin refrained him from doing that.

''I love you too.'' Dastardos smirked. Maybe expressing his feelings wasn't all that bad... Especially not when only his brother and a huge Sherbat were around!

''I will get some of my men to get you out of here'' Chamkele said wearily. ''Some... sleep would do all of us good...''

Next thing Seedos knew was the colorful tornado of a few hours ago, waiting to bring him downwards again.

''I'll keep an eye on you, bro!'' Dastardos screamed to get his voice over the noise the bat piñatas were making. ''Take care of yourself!''

''I will, St... Daz!'' Damn it! Tears were streaking down his mask again...

''Au revoir, Seedos!'' Chamkele shouted, and Seedos was so caught up in the moment that he didn't even wonder how the bat knew French.

''Au revoir!'' he shouted back.

Then, suddenly... Dozens of little, paper claws grabbed him again, which meant that his short journey to the outside world had begun.

''Seedos! Oh, Seedos, finally!'' Leafos flew up to her little brother as if she had been missing for days, instead of for a few hours. ''I'm so glad you are alright! Ohh... You _are _alright, aren't you?''

Leafos let go of him and gave him an inquiring glance.

''I... I am, Leafos, don't you worry!''

''Ameena and I have been waiting here for hours! Look, the sun's coming up already! We were afraid to go back into the temple, 'cause... You know.'' Leafos shivered discernibly. ''The crazy Sherbats... The dark, open space... The crystal pillars... We became too spooked!''

''It's alright, Leafos'' Seedos said so calmly that he could hardly even believe that the voice he was hearing was his. ''I understand. And I'm okay, totally.'' A short, awkward silence followed.  
>''Where's Ameena?'' Seedos finally broke it.<p>

''She's at the Village. I've told her to look for help there... She'll be back shortly. It's been an hour... I think...'' Seedos put a hand on his sister's shoulder. She obviously was about to cry. ''I... I stayed here in case you'd... return!''

''I _have _returned, Leafos'' Seedos soothed her. ''In one piece! Would you wish for anything more?''

''N-n-no... I just... It could've ended differently.'' Leafos shuddered.

''But it _hasn't_. Hey, I think that's Ameena!''

A thin, dark figure with a pink Tigermisu mask was running along the path that leaded to the temple.

''Guys!'' she panted as soon as she was within hearing distance ''Seedos! Glad you're back... Couldn't find... Help. Bart wasn't in his trailer, and... Everyone else was... still asleep... Except for... Lottie... Petula... and Fannie.''

''Then you should've woken someone up!'' Leafos scolded. ''What if... ARGH!''

Ameena's mask turned a paler shade of pink. She had never seen her friend like that... No. She'd seen Leafos calm, cheerful and even sad, but never agitated, let alone downright furious...

''Don't be a female Barkbark, sis! I'm alright!'' Seedos smiled his widest, most convincing smile. ''Let's all go home, have an early breakfast and catch up on some sleep!''

''Okay then...'' Leafos yawned, and Seedos realized her eyes were all red. ''First though, tell me... What happened at the Kelele's?''

If he only knew how to answer thát... He couldn't just tell her the truth! Then he'd have to tell her about how Stardos was still alive, how _he _had become the piñata reaper, how they all descended from Suelos - and worse! How they all were in danger!

''I... You know, it makes perfect sense that you want to know all about my... encounters in the temple and stuff, well...''

Now there were plenty of things he could tell her, but it had to be something she'd actually buy... If he could only just shake this off, tell her it was none of her business and march back to the swamp to finally feed his Shellybeans...

But his big, bossy sis obviously wouldn't buy _that_.

''Those Sherbats... They wanted something from you, otherwise they'd never have lifted you up... They left me and Ameena be, after all... Please, Seedos...''

Leafos looked like she was pretty darn near an emotional breakdown. Seedos _hated _that miserable look on her mask, the last time he'd seen her like that was, well... When mom and dad had left to find a Dragonache or something, while Pester and his minions were destroying the garden.

''Leafos, don't you worry...'' Did she have a hunch that something was wrong, or was it just the fatigue? Either way, he had to assure her that ''everything's alright... Really. I'm feeling kinda like a celebrity now, though, I hope I won't turn out to be as bad as dad, when it comes to such things... Look. This might seem utterly ridiculous, but those Sherbats see me... as their prophet.''

''Their prophet?'' Ameena asked in surprise.

Seedos had almost forgotten she was there, he'd been so busy with his sister that Ameena just... totally hadn't mattered to him.

''Yes'' he confirmed ''they... Me and the Kelele have something in common, okay? The Kelele love seeds.''

The desperate look on Leafos' face made place for a stunned one. ''Seeds? That's all they're after?''

''Yes'' Seedos lied ''they want me to... you know. Collect seeds for them, since they can't go outside.''

''But why can't they?'' Leafos rose a brow. She KNEW the Kelele were hiding something from the very moment she saw those mysterious pillars... What was so threatening about the outside world to them?

''They're afraid of Professor Pester! He's _alllllways _hunting for rare piñatas! The horrible man!''

Leafos heaved a sigh and decided to stop asking, as she was tired and that answer sounded tolerably logical to her. ''Let's call it a night, then! Come on Ameena, you look like you could use some rest as well... _You _seem wide awake though, Seedos... However...'' the girl yawned as she stretched out ''I'm going to catch up on some sleep...''


	14. Scorching

**Scorching**

Bart could've sworn that the desert sun had never been as scorching before. And he was an expert, one of his ex-wifes, Siham, was a nomad born and raised in de Dessert Desert! He had spent a few years with her and her people, but he had ended their relationship when that sand hag wanted children...

But thát was not relevant anymore, he'd closed that chapter quite a while ago... Great Gods, what in the world was wrong with the weather today?

The tinkerer looked up, and didn't like what he saw AT ALL.

The sky had colored this deep, blood red color, and the sun had swolen to enormous proportions! ''This must be the end of times'', he mumbled, half in despair, half stunned that he'd be there to witness such a grand event. ''What's... what's left for me to do but wait and... watch?''

There was no one around to answer him, even the piñatas had either fled or ignited in flames. The tinkerer took a step back when a burning Chocstrich was ran by _way _too closely.

''I must get the hell out of here!''

As if an evil force from above heard that, the air became even more stifling than before. It felt as if the entire world's oxygen level had just lowered, out of nowhere! Bart, as a tinkerer, had quite some knowledge of chemistry and physics, and he'd never experienced anything like _that _before... had he? No... No way. Not on a huge, empty plain, at least. This was what would happen if something in the tinkering process went wrong and 'caused a flash fire when working in his caravan with the windows closed...

Eventhough that was a downright stupid approach to tinker - and nowhere near the alchemist safety guidelines! - he knew that from experience... When he was younger, his own and others' wellbeing hadn't interested him far as much as it should have.

He was glad it hadn't, though, because it made him realize something... Something vital, if he wanted to come out of this hellfire alive.

''This is not the end of times...'' the tinkerer growled. ''This is...''

He wildly opened his eyes - which he'd thought were open already - and the sight of the scorching desert was replaced by an even more alarming picture. The melting walls of his trailer, that were, the white-hot gruel was surrounding him on all four sides.

''... sheer reality!''

The tinkerer quickly threw his blanket off, glad that the fire hadn't reached his bedding yet, and jumped up. He was wearing his striped pyjamas, his mask and hat lied on the nightstand next to his bed, but he didn't bother to put either of those on. There was no time for that.

He _had _to find an exit, and better before he got cremated alive!

Bart thought for a moment. A long, long time ago - when tinkering business hadn't really taken off yet and he'd worked part time as a Diggerling - he had attended emergency training. It was over twenty years ago and if he was honest with himself he didn't remember shit about it, but he was pretty sure that they'd mentioned what you were supposed to do when a fire had broken out in the mine...

Unexpectedly, a huge flame burned a hole in the ceiling. The grime that came with it made Bart cough so heavily that he feared it'd cause him a heart attack.

''G-guess tha-at means I've no time left to pon-der!''

If he wanted to survive, he had to run for it! But in which direction?

''Through the fire?'' he wondered out loud, his troat still raspy from the coughing fit.

Another huge flame flared up only a few decimetres away from him, ''I suppose that that's a yes...''

The tinkerer rubbed his hands and walked to the molten wall somewhat reluctantly. He took a deep breath, looked around his trailer for the very last time, silently said his stuff goodbye and...

... jumped.

The heat was unbearable. For a moment, Bart thought he'd made a ridiculous decision. That much pain just couldn't be right...  
>He felt like he was losing his consciousness, he was floating away, it was too late, he was helpless now, it was over, really over...<p>

But that sensation only lasted a few seconds. Though the pain kept lingering on his bones and skin, the tinkerer knew - as he rolled over the cool, clay pavement - that his life was out of danger.

''Phew...'' he sighed, when the fire had extinguished and he finally laid still. ''That... was too close!''

The tinkerer forced himself to sit up straight, and studied the charred tatters he was wearing. Even if he patched them up those wouldn't be wearable anymore! Oh, all the sudden expenses he was going to have to make... He now needed a new trailer, new clothes, new tinkering equipments...

Then, something serious began to dawn on him. ''Damn it!'''

How come his - _his, _from all trailers, houses and huts on the Island - had been set on fire? He was pretty sure he hadn't used his alchemy table before he went to sleep, this 'accident' was certainly not due to his own carelessness...

If it was an accident at all!

Someone wanted him dead, and that someone couldn't be human! Bart didn't have enemies in the Village, and no way the angry dads who's daughters he had sued were fit enough to track him down! He didn't have many concurrents either - the craft of tinkering was not a popular one.

No, something completely different was going on.

From the very moment he'd spotted the new girl - Ameena - running through the wilderness in the early morning, he'd known something was wrong. Especially when she brought those crazy colored Mallowolfs up... If they didn't belong to the long-lost Canda tribe, then what were they?

Maybe he shouldn't have told her the tale of Platia and Bulan. Of course, it was a well-known folklore along the whole Island, but he knew details... he'd s_poiled _details, no one else knew about. And he was pretty sure that the Old Gods weren't too pleased with them telling to that _Ameena_ girl...

The Old 'Gods' didn't seem fond of her anyway. The young lady had something going on, she had that sort of... almost _magical_ vibe that was hardly noticable, but still...

Oh, what did he know about that? He was only a tinkerer, he knew nothing about hazy stuff like that!

He knew someone who did, though.

Bart took a last glance on his trailer. The fire had calmed down as suddenly as it'd lighted up. That was stranger than strange...

Ah, however. He had to quench the fire before it'd blaze again. A few buckets of water would do.

The tinkerer doddered to the Village's Main Square's, which had an old well in the centre.

It was a silent walk. As early in the morning as it was, even the most enthiusiastic merchants were snoozing in their warm, comfortable beds... And Bart was glad they were.  
>He didn't feel like explaining what happened. Announcing that he'd aroused the wrath of the Dark Gods would either cause great panic or yield him a one-way ticket to the 'crazy fowks home'.<p>

VPVPVPVPVPVPVP

When the even the most pathetic little flames were gone, small piles of ashes were all that was left of the horrible event of only hours ago.

Bart sighed. He wasn't much of a materialistic person, but some of the stuff he'd kept inside had been really precious to him... His hat, his mask... his clean underwear.

He didn't have the time to mourn over a bunch clothes and accessories, though! Instead of standing there, he should've already been heading to a very special place in the rainforest...


	15. Fiends' Dinner

**Fiends' Dinner**

''Terah, could you hand me some more of that roast meat, please?''

''Sure, sure, sure Bulan!'' The entitled Goddess of Soil smiled blandly as she passed on a silver plate, which was generously filled with greasy pork. ''I know you're the biggest carnivore the Underworld has ever known, except for Cueraça perhaps...''

Cueraça wiped the corners of his mouth, a smug expression on his mask that showed a striking ressemblance with that of Dastardos.

''No one can exceed me on that point, no one! I might look skinny...'' the horrifiying creature stroked over its bulging ribcase ''...but I'm loaded with dead flesh and miserable souls...''

''Souls, you say?''

Afoti, the Goddess of natural disasters - volcanic eruptions in particular - thoughtfully ran a hand through her long, shiny hair.  
>Her mask, which depicted a strange crossing between a decayed corpse and a Sarsgorilla, was absolutely deterrent, but a beautiful face was <em>certainly <em>underneath. You could tell by the huge brown eyes peeking through the eyeholes as well as by her full pink lips.

''Yes. Souls.'' The God of Death took a drumstick and teared off the peppered chicken skin with his teeth.

''Where the hell do you get those?''

Afoti now took a drumstick as well, burrying her outragously long fingernails deep in the juicy, aromatic meat.

Cueraça grinned widely. ''I'd like to keep that one a secret... My source isn't infinite, you know. I'd rather not have you walking around stuffing that ugly maw of yours.''

Cueraça went back to his chicken. Afoti didn't touch hers.

Her terrifying mask clouded. She didn't agree with Cueraça's greediness. As Old Gods, forgotten by their people, they were a dying race, and in these hard times, sharing with each other was the least that they could do.  
>She knew better than to argue with the True Reaper though - arousing his anger was nothing but a death warrant.<p>

Nobody seemed to notice Afoti's frustration, and it wasn't long until Cueraça raised his voice again.

''Before I forget to tell you, my comrades, I recently met the nicest demon... He's a Lizardi, his name is Ksi, I believe... Or... Tli... Lsi... Tsi... it doesn't even matter...''

''A Lizardi, you say?'' Bulan wiped the corners of his horrific mouth - his silver teeth were huge and he had a foul smile on his thin, blood-stained lips. ''Those dumb things usually are no use...''

''That is true'' Cueraça admitted. ''This one is different though...''

''What makes him stand out so much, then?'' Terah asked, as she was crunching on a handful of fried cockroaches.  
>The Soil Goddess prefered to eat insects over meat - small beasts that had crawled through the mud or had lived in the bark of dead trees were closer to her element.<p>

''Ah, Terah, great question... One I will certainly enjoy answering.  
>He's an amazing little demon, only faithful to us; the True Gods. This is extra remarkable since he is from a relatively young generation... He has never experienced the Times of Worship, yet does he act as if he belongs in that lovely era and not in this shallow one...<br>Also, unlike most of his peers, he doesn't live in the world of the mortals. He despises those who've chosen what he calls 'the easy path'... And I couldn't agree more with him - living in a swamp or desert to catch a lost human or a big piñata from time to time isn't exactly proving your loyalty to your true masters...''

''Another army punk?'' Mze, the quiet Sun God asked in a jaded tone of voice.

''No, Sunny Boy, my minion is not a member of the army...''

''Great'' the deity with the round, golden mask answered. ''For a moment I thought you'd lost your mind...''

''Not at all, my dear friend'' grinned Cueraça. ''Can you please let me continue now?  
>Alright, so this Lizardi... He's sworen an oath that he'd slaughter every Young 'God', and every last follower they still have left. Now, now!'' Cueraça raised his black, mummified hands as Afoti's lovely lips had separated because she wanted to say something. ''Let me finish, please, brothers and sisters! I know what I'm talking about.<br>I would never bring this trifling little reptile up if I didn't see something special in him.

Let me tell you what he's done recently. As far as I'm concerned, it's only been a month...  
>My brave soldier is not much of an intellectual, neither is he very talented magically, but he's not illiterate and he somehow managed to get an old scroll somewhere...<br>It's called the Scroll of Exorcism, I believe...''

''I've written that one'' Afoti snorted. ''Not a very hard one to execute properly...''

''But it is a very _ingenious _spell, Afoti'' Cueraça tried to blarney her. ''It is. And ehm, to finally get to my point...'' The God of Death took a small sip of his wine. ''... you would never believe who my favorite demon managed to take possession of...''

''Jardineiro!'' Mze guessed randomly. ''Or ehm... Willy B!''

Bulan rose a sparse brow. ''Who's the last guy?''

''Seedos!'' Terah hissed spitefully, ignoring Bulan's comment. She really felt an intense hate for that seed boy.

''Don't be stupid! He's got that super hero bitch! Or if not; Professor Pester!''

''Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!'' Cueraça giggled. Your last guess was pretty close though, miss Afoti!''

''Who? Who can it... Oh... Wow. That's impressive.'' A blank expression spreaded across the Goddess' mask. It had _just _dawned on her what a random, filthy bog monster had achieved...

''I know right?'' The True Reaper chuckled in such a way a proud daddy would.

''For... for how long?'' asked Afoti, still pretty stunned.

''Not for too long, I'm afraid.'' Cueraça frowned. ''Only a few hours... A bumbling idiot in a monkey suit managed to stab Dastardos' body with a sort of magic-device-staff-thing, and the demon's soul was extruded soon after -''

''Wait... Hold up... It's _Dastardos _we're talking about?'' Bulan's bulgy eyes got even bigger, and his voice started to tremble. ''Does this mean that... D-dastardos is a sort of d-deity, r-right? Does this mean that he can al-al-also...''

''Platia? I'm not sure.'' Cueraça shook his head.

''It _has _to be possible, Raça, why not?'' Bulan still wanted to take revenge on the skinny, diefied Priestress. She once used to worship him, but when she found out how bad Bulan was to his actual people, she broke with his cult and ran away with a group of crazy colored Mallowolves and her little God-friend Suelos to start her own religion.

Which were unforgivable acts, and a stigma on the community of Bulan's proud and loyal Templars.

''However, he didn't try it on Platia, he tried it on Dastardos. The youngling wants another war...''

Afoti snickered dryly, and Mze wondered: ''A war? That just can't end well, I mean, business is good as it is now.'' To demonstrate how good business was for him, the Sun God took a big, greasy spare rib from the spit on which he gnawed contently. ''I don't see a reason to go out fighting...''

''Hmm...'' Terah wasn't so sure about that. She wrinkled her forehead - which was of course unseen because she was wearing a mask - but her pensive expression didn't elude to the ever curious Bulan.

''A roasted beetle for your thoughts...''

''Now... you wouldn't believe this, but some mortals are actually _expecting _a war.''

''Seriously?'' Now Afoti's attention was drawn as well. Cueraça wasn't sure what to think of Terah's comment, and he could _just _resist letting out a little skeptical laugh.

''Do I look like I'm joking. Naw.'' Terah agilely catched the roasted insect Bulan tossed at her, and after she'd devoured it, she continued: ''It all started with the re-appearance of a few long-extinct piñatas and the arrival of a new girl to the Island... It all is rather vague, but I _do _think that we need to keep an eye on the latest developments... Just to be sure.''

''New girl? What new girl?'' Afoti asked suspiciously.

''And what extinct piñatas?'' Bulan hissed. If the Canda, the ancient Mallowolf tribe that had helped Platia to plot his downfall, had returned, then he'd show those paper doggies what he was made of this time around.

Terah ignored Bulan's question though, ''Her name is Ameena.''

''Her name is... Is that all you know about her..?''

''She's from the mainland. She's a fairly talented gardener. She seems... ugh... _sweet_.'' The Dark God wrinkled her nose. She really didn't have a thing for _sweet. _

''Is she powerful?'' asked Afoti eagerly, as if she could make the girl's power hers.

Which she probably could...

''I suppose so. My demon says we should be on our guard for her, but I personally don't really see her as a threat...''

''We didn't see Dastardos as a threat either, but now the damned skeleton has taken the place of Raça!'' Afoti huffed.

''He hasn't taken my place, sister'' Cueraça chuckled. ''He reaps _piñatas _for their life candy... I reap old, suffering souls.  
>Besides, this Ameena can't be anything like Dastardos. Do you hear what I say? It is impossible for her toeven beanything like <em>Dastardos<em>.''

''How do you know? She _has _triggered the return of the Canda wolves and the Kelele, _hasn't she?_''

''I knew it!'' Bulan exclaimed. ''You're DEAD, Canda, you're all DEAD...''

''The Kelele? Haha, you must be joking! Those 'intelligent' piñatas are trifling as hell... Do you guys remember the talking bat, Chamkele? I beat him up and teared off his wings not even that long ago...''

''That Chamkele's is one soft idiot...'' Bulan, who apparently had forgotten his anger towards the Canda already, smiled and said: ''I don't know what you are even trying to stress, Terah. The return of those piñatas just gives us... you know... extra playtime!''

His smile grew even wider when he thought of all the ways he could torture the paper wolves and bats.

''I think we should trust Cueraça's demon on this one'' Afoti mumbled vacantly, ignoring the delighted Moon God. ''Just to be sure.''

''COME ON, 'Foti!''

''Bulan, ZIP IT'' Terah snarled. ''Afoti's right, if you ask me. What do you think, mister Reaper?''

''Hmm, I agree'' Cueraça pouted. ''I hate to say this, but a single girl bringing the Island's entire atmosphere out of balance, is indeed suspicious.''

''As I said before...'' Terah said in an unbelievably soft voice ''... a war is coming. There's a small movement of Villagers who want war.''

''Are they dangerous?'' Mze asked, with a slightly concerned expression on his golden mask. ''I don't want the Religious Revolution to repeat itself...''

Mze could still recall how brutely he was deprivated from his throne. See, Mze wasn't as much of an evil being as he seemed to be.

The Sun God actually was a good guy who really wanted best for his people. The thing was, his brothers and sisters, his fellow Gods, had a huge influence on him. Gradually, he had started to like to do the dark stuff; drinking the blood of sacrificed virgins, letting great gladiators fight until death in his arena, cutting of the limps of either guilty or innocent prisoners...  
>Eventhough he knew in the back of his mind that it was horrible, those things had become his entertainment. He blamed his bad genes for that. Besides, he had to survive the endless, boring afternoons <em>somehow<em>.

''What I don't get'' Afoti murmured ''is what these humans want to fight for. They've got what they wanted; we don't rule over them anymore and we only take the lives of those who get lost in the rainforest.''

''I was wondering as well...'' Cueraça rubbed his long, bony hands. ''When we created the humans, we didn't program them with the desire to fight for fun...''

Bulan shrugged. ''We never programmed that rebelly-thing either.''

''True, true. Hmm...'' The unthinkable had happened; Bulan had convinced Cueraça of the seriousness of a situation. ''Brothers, sisters, we should soon take precautions. Who knows what these mortals are upto? We can't let another overthrow happen like that; in fact, I think that we should ruin the human civilazation before it is too late! Let's not take dangerous _ever_ risks again...''

''I have taken certain precautions already, Raç.'' Terah giggled self-sufficiently. ''I've sent out the Plamenye - aren't you familiar with those demons, Mze? - to set the houses of certain, suspicious mortals on fire... It's nothing big, but I think it serves well as a warning.''

Cueraça laughed. ''I'm proud of you, my sister! Thinking ahead, as always...''

Terah's cheeks began to glow. The God of Death hardly ever gave away compliments.

''Now, let's throw in the second question'' Cueraça continued ''and probably a more accurate one... Would our victory in the Religious Rollback be an opportunity to bring back our Old Regime?''


	16. Rainstorms And Girl Talk

**Rainstorms And Girl Talk**

''Katchie...'' Ameena muttered.

''Mraw?''

The young Kittyfloss stared at her with big, inquiring eyes.

''Ugh, I'm not sure what's up... I just... I've been having this strange feeling lately - for no particular reason... Do you think I should go out more?''

''Mraw!'' Katchie mewed as if thought she should, and he jumped on her lap as a confirmation.

''I'll try that'' the girl giggled. ''But not today... It's raining cats and dogs... Oh, I'm sorry. Kittyflosses and Barkbarks...''

She looked out of the window, and all she could see was a blurry wall of water. The rainstorm had started early that morning, shortly after Ameena had harvested her fruits and veggies, and now it was four in the afternoon already. All that time, the girl had been sitting on her bed with her legs crossed, waiting for the shower to end while being flooded by worries.

Eventhough it was nothing too dramatic, she hadn't seen the Canda wolves for more than a week now. Neither had she heard anything of Seedos or Bart lately - to make it even more strange, the latter's trailer had completely disappeared!

Leafos had told her that it was not much of a big deal. 'Bart occasionally travels to other villages for business - he's a tinkerer after all! Tinkerers are known to be travelers!'

Yet Ameena was _unconscious _about it for some reason! She didn't even know how to put her feelings in words, which she usually could very well... Her gut just told her something strange was about to go dwon, perhaps something dangerous even...

Maybe it would have to do with Dastardos again. Or with those strange piñatas, the Canda, the Kelele...

It couldn't be Dastardos though; he was dead and gone. Shortly after that exorcism, his body had just vanished, Patch had told her... And Patchingo was the most reliable, sweet and sensible doctor ever.

Something fluttered up in Ameena's stomach. She giggled, tugging at one of her braids a little.

One day, she'd get married to her favorite vet...

_VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP_

Two hours later, the raining had gotten less heavy. ''Finally!'' Ameena exclaimed, throwing the pillow she had been hugging against the wall on the other side of the room.

She was fed up with sticking around at home all day. She'd go to Leafos. They had a lot to talk over anyway... Ameena was coping with a lot of questions, and eventhough she wasn't for mean gossip, she was dying to get some novelties from the Village!

The girl quickly got in her dark blue rainboots. ''Katchie, I'm over at Leafos'... When I get back I'll feed you!''

''Mraw?'' Katchie, who had been snoozing in a chair under the window, opened an eye when he heard his favorite word, 'feed'.

''Oh, don'tcha worry, I'll be home before midnight!''

''Mew.'' The Kittyfloss yawned, wrapped his warm tail around his body and closed his eyes again. Young kittens were crazy like that - some days they couldn't stop bouncing and running around, other days they didn't seem to do anything but sleep.

''Okay, so I'll be back in a few hours!'' Ameena sang as she walked through the door.

Unlike Katchie, she was more than excited to stretch her legs again.

That excitement decreased a little when she had closed and locked the door, and felt how cold it was outside. The temperatures had definately lowered over the last few days... And God, it was pretty dark already. How late was it really? 6 AM?

''Maybe winter's coming...'' she muttered to herself as she was crossing her quiet, sleeping garden. There were no wild piñatas to be seen except for a few Mothdrops, and all her domestic piñatas had drawn themselves back in their warm, comfortable homes... Even the flowers had locked their beautiful heads up in a bud.

Then, something began to dawn on Ameena. It was the month of May! Hey, her birthday was coming, that was nice, but... the weather was behaving strangely.

Ah well, what did she know? Her knowledge of Piñata Island was little, if not tiny. It probably was different here with the seasons - Ghana didn't have the same seasons as the Netherlands either, after all! Would the Islands know monsoons as well? Was this one? Yes, it probably was.

Ameena smirked. Eventhough she tried to convince herself everything was alright, she couldn't deny that she was happy that going from her house to Leafos' was only a one minute walk.

_Something _had given her the creeps for some reason...

She shivered again and feverishly knocked on Leafos' door. The yellow light that was shining through the closed curtains just looked so inviting, and... _save._

''Don't be silly!'' she hissed, accidently out loud when Leafos opened the door.

''Ameena! Come in, come in. But eh... what's about me being silly?''

''Just... I was just talking to myself'' Ameena said shyly as she stepped inside the small hall. She quickly took off her boots. There were colored carpets everywhere in Leafos' house, and she didn't want to soil any of them.

''Oh, okay then. Seedos talks to himself all the time as well.''

And he had lost most of his sanity... Ameena bit her bottom lip. Was she about to lose hers too?

''Shall we go to my room?'' Leafos suggested, as if she didn't notice the pale flush on her friend's Tigermisu mask.

''Y-yes...''

''Great! I've been baking cookies and cake all afternoon... I never realized how much cooking actually can be before, but when the wheater's gloomy like this, it's definately a nice way to pass the time! I plan to bring a plate to Seedos and we have to leave some for my dad too, but the rest we can eat.''

''Okay. Sounds great!'' Ameena grinned, trying to let go of her vague, ungrounded worries.

''How about you go upstairs already? My room's the second door on the right. The one with the Ponocky posters on the door...'' Leafos blushed a little. It had been a while since she had had visits from friends, so she still had some decorations in her room that were... rather childish.

Her embarrasment hardly even showed though, and Ameena saw nothing childish in keeping Ponocky posters.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''Hey, little lady. I remember _you._''

Ameena giggled as she walked towards Leafos' terrarium. There was a tiny, lively-looking Bispotti in it, which's eyes lighted up even more now that it saw Ameena.

''Bubbi, isn't it?''

The Bispotti made a happy squeeky sound and its cheerful little cheeks started to beam enthusiastically.

''Aww, you seem to remember me as well!''

Bubbi and Ameena had first met a while ago, when the sun was just coming up above the Orchid Valley, where Ameena and Leafos had spent the night to look at wonderful constellations.

Ameena had fallen asleep around three o'clock, but Leafos had managed to stay up all night. She had found the ladybug in the early morning. Because she missed taking care of her father's piñatas and the Bispotti seemed to like her, she decided to name it Bubbi and take it home.

With a content sigh, Ameena plumped down on Leafos' bed. Her blankets were all colorful and patched, just like the clothes their owner usually wore and anything on Piñata Island really.

Then, the door opened, and Leafos walked in with a huge plate that had the most lovely smelling bakings on it.

''Great Gods, I can't believe the wheater... It's fudging May already!''

''I know, right?''

Ameena reached out to get a cookie, which turned out to be a chocolate chip one. Hmm, what a surprise... Those were Leafos' favorites.

Luckily, they happened to be Ameena's favorites as well!

''Ahh, thank you! Did you know that my birthday's in May?''

''Is it?'' A wide smile appeared on Leafos' mask. ''We'll HAVE to celebrate that! Don't you worry Ameena, we'll make it HUGE!''

''Ehm, what we goin' make huge exactly?'' Ameena asked, slightly confused.

''Your party of course, silly! I'm going to throw you the most AWESOME party you've ever had in your life!''

''Ehm...''

''Don't you worry! I'll be happy to do you that favour - it's nothing! I love organizing things...''

''Oh, I don't doubt that...''

''... I'm going to bake you a five-layer cake! I'll ask Bart - if he arrives back in town on time - to develop some new firework... I want it to be even flashier than the spectacle he showed during New Years Eve, and you know what? I will invite every single person in the Village; even that dreadful Petula, but only because I know that you're rather fond of her -''

''Leafos! It's just a birthday party, not a wedding! It doesn't have to be so big to me, really...''

Leafos started to giggle hysterically - it almost was as bad as Fannie Franker's laugh - and Ameena maskpalmed as she already knew what her friend was about to say...

''Patch'll definately be present too!'' the girl hiccuped.

''Come on!'' Ameena exclaimed as she felt her cheeks getting warmer.

''Any idea what you're going to wear yet?'' Leafos asked in her most sugary voice as she stretched out on the bed.

''Ehm, no, not quite...''

''Then think about it! You're going to be the queen of the day after all! And could you please be so kind to hand me one of those vanilla cookies? You were right, they _are_ great... Hmm... Thank you.''

Ameena shook her head. How much Leafos ressembled her archenemy Petula was slightly amusing.

''I think that you should check Indignante's clothing store... It's in our Village, in the same street as Bart's Exchange used to be... I know that they make the most fabulous dresses, eventhough I've never bought one.''

''I think I know the Indignantes... Doesn't their daughter judge at the P-Factor?''

''Baboschka? She does, yes. She's a walking billboard for her parents' store too - the Flutterscotch costume she usually wears is designed my Mrs. Indigante herself!''

Ameena's stomach turned a little. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be seen in something like _that..._

''Don't worry, that's one of her more extravagant pieces... How are you and Patch doing anyway?''

''I... Hm... I'm not sure. I saw him just yesterday, at Costolot's... He stuttered a lot, as usual, and he told me...'' She just couldn't help but smile a little. ''He told me that he really liked checking up on the baby Kittyflosses with me, and he... He sorta asked me if we could do something together again, _soon..._''

Leafos let out an excited squeek and hugged her pillow. ''Really? That's sooo cute... I wonder... What did you answer him?''

''I told him 'yes, I'd love to'''.

''Awww!'' Leafos' blue eyes started to twinkle. ''So, did you guys arrange a date yet?''

''N-no... No, not yet. And please don't call it a date, Doc Patchingo is like six years older than me!''

''Five and a half, I think'' Leafos chuckled.

''However... I'm sure he just wants to be friends... He hasn't tried anything that suggests he wants to raise our... ehm... 'relationship' to another level - he never grabbed my hand, he's never winked at me, and he's never told me I'm pretty either...''

''That doesn't mean he wouldn't want to. He's a shy man!''

''I know, right?'' That actually was one of the things she liked him so much for.

Ameena didn't have much of a thing for those loud, noisy men and boys who thought to have the right to hit on her when they had just met...

''Hmm... The two of you would be a legendary couple, do you know that?''

''You think so?''

''Yes... I can see you married to him in a few years, I'm sure your children would be beautiful...''

''Leafos!''

''Okay, okay. Jeez. Why don't you want to talk about your crush, Ameena?''

''Because...'' Ameena looked out of the window. The nightsky was incredibly cloudy - she didn't like that, she didn't like not being able to see the moon and she knew most nocturnal piñatas didn't like that either. ''...'Cause it makes me feel insecure.''

''Does it?'' Leafos suddenly flew up. ''I can't imagine anybody as beautiful being insecure about such silly thing...  
>Besides, I betcha he likes you back! You are one of the most gorgeous female inhabitants of the Village, even someone as shy and absent-minded as Doc Patchingo can see that -''<p>

''I'm not afraid that he doesn't like me...'' A goofy smile appeared on the girl's pink Tigermisu mask. ''I would find it way scarier if he _did _like me back... I wouldn't know what to do...''

''Relax, relax, relax! It'll all come naturally, I'm sure it will. Your last date went pretty well, didn't it?''

''Yes, but that was just talking you know... socializing... There was no... kissing and hugging and stuff involved...''

That made Leafos burst out in laughter. ''Really, Ameena? Are you... are you afraid of physical contact?''

Ameena nodded shamefacedly. ''Touching someone in a... _romantic _way creeps me out...''

Leafos smirked. ''You truly _are_ a good match for Patchingo... Trust me lady, he's just as timid with that as you are, if not even more!''

''That's possible...'' Ameena giggled. ''That's perfectly possible...  
>However, is there any news from town?''<p>

''Oh, yes there is!'' A gleeful expression appeared on Leafos' mask. ''I've heard that Lottie and Willy are having slight relationship issues... Nothing big, it's just that Lottie always wants to have her way, and Willy's like 'I have an opinion too, woman!', so that causes friction now and then...''

Leafos went on and on, and Ameena closed her eyes. She didn't care too much about the problems the two older people had in their marriage at all, but listening to her friend's voice was unbelievably soothing.


	17. Seedos Nd, Shellies Searching Fr Shelter

**Seedos And Shellies, Searching For Shelter**

_Ssssseeeedosssss..._

There it was again. The eerie, gruesome sound he had heard yesterday and the day before, the frightening sound that reminded him way too much of the demon Tsi...

The memory of what had happened that night almost a month ago still gave Seedos the creeps,yet he couldn't do anything but ignore the hissing, and march on firmly. He was on his daily round for seeds, and he wouldn't head back home until he'd found that precious watercress seed he had been looking for for so long.

There was a gardener who needed it, and that gardener had very loose hands.

_Ssssseeeedossss..._

''What the..?''

There was the hissing again, this time more intense. Seedos looked around suspiciously. Was there something hiding up there, in one of the swamp trees? How many unfortunate strollers had disappeared because they had been caught my monsters, demons and even the Dark Gods themselves? Weren't the bogs and rainforests the riskiest places to wander around, especially on your own?

The boy shuddered and tried to walk even faster. Maybe that watercress seed wasn't that important at all... No, it actually wasn't. He would just receive Bear's beatings and be okay with it...

Even though he didn't feel like getting hurt and fixing his mask up again, he favoured anything above getting devoured by ferocious Neraguan beasts. The sooner he got home, the better.

Oh, he'd be the Gods so thankful if he managed to reach his dead tree safely, and if his Shellybeans were still okay!

What if the Dark Gods, demons or whatever it were wanted to torture him by doing something to his Shellybeans? That sure would be an effective way to devastate him - Shellybeans were his life! He cherished them even more than his seed collection, it were the snail piñatas who had taught him to look for seeds in the first place.

Fortunately, he saw the smoke of his small heard crinkling up from his tree's flue already. He started to trot, his feet sinking deeply into the quicksand-like swamp mud, and glaring around to in search of one of his beloved Shellies.

''Shoco? Sonil? Sergei?''

He heaved a relieved sigh when he heard the reply of the very latter - a pathetic little squeak.

Sergei was Seedos' favorite Shellybean, and he was sure that that feeling was mutual. Sergei seemed to fancy him even more than all of his other family members, he asked for cuddles noteworthily more often, and brought Seedos seeds from time to time. It was a shame that Sergei sucked so badly at tricks, otherwise he'd definately honor that little piñata by bringing him to the P-Factor.

If he had more talent, he'd certainly win a prize. Sergei was the most beautiful Shellybean on the entire Island.

Suddenly, he hear another squeak, this time closer by.

''Sergei!'' Seedos cooed tenderly when the mollusc's shiny shell slithered out of the bushes. Its eyes were bigger and more bulgy than usual, and the fact that there were no other Shellybeans in sight confirmed Seedos' gut feeling that something was up. Something bad.

''Were you afraid of anything?'' Seedos asked anxiously. ''Oh, Sergei, I can tell you were!'' The boy rushed towards piñata and picked it up to hold it closely. ''What did you see? Or did you hear something? You can tell good old Seedos what happened to you...''

Sergei squealed plaintively.

''What are you saying? Your siblings won't leave the house? That's nothing like them, they love this kind of weather, and this is their favorite time of day too! Great Gods...''

Seedos looked up and between the tree tops he could see that enormous gray clouds had repressed the sun, which hadn't shone very intensely since the violent rainstorm of a few days ago...

''Alright. I'll check up on them to see if they are fine... Oh, Sergei. Please don't say this to your brothers and sisters, but... You know... When I was walking my daily route'' Seedos said in a confidential voice ''I heard really, really, _really _suspicious sounds... It sounded like voices from Neragua - demons, Dark Gods, I don't know! - and they were whispering my name! They. Were. Whispering. My. Name.

I'm finally turning nuts, aren't I?''

Seedos heaved a sigh and stared at the ground. He knew he was making up excuses because he didn't want to leave his swamp... He had turned nuts already a long time ago, if he hadn't been born nuts as he always had assumed.

Leaving the swamp would have a dramatic impact on his family... Both his Shellybean and his human family actually, because where else could he go than Ameena's garden if he left? He had some crazy uncles and aunties, but they either lived in one of those horrific houses in the Village or they had their garden on the other side of the Island...

Besides, it was more reassuring to think he was losing his sense than facing reality in this case, so bad was it. If everything Chamkele had told him were right... if the Old Gods were really after him - especially Terah who he had always found scary for some reason... If Ameena, Dastardos and himself were about to get assisinated by an army of bloodthirsty demons...

The boy shook his head, hoping he'd shake his worries away too.

It hardly helped. He turned to Sergei again.

''So, what did I say? That I... That I'd check for your brothers and sisters, right?''

Sergei nodded with his antenna-like eyes.

''Okay. Ehm... I think that I should also tell them...'' Seedos used his right hand to squeeze his left hand tightly. He had heard that somewhere that it helped against stress. And he had a lot of that, this decision wasn't easy to make. ''... I'll also tell them... that they better get ready to pack their bags. We're moving.''

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''Ameena...''

''Yes, Seedos? Oh...'' A stunned look appeared on the girl's pink Tigermisu mask. ''I see you've brought company...''

''Yes, yes I have.'' Seedos smiled like a goofball. When he and his Shellybeans were just on their way to Ameena's garden it had started to rain again, and he was soaked to the bone. He usually didn't care much about him not being the most handsome appearance on the Island, but now he looked downright ridiculous. His sodden shirt strained tightly around his body and his blue hair just looked awful when all wet and sleek. ''Ameena'' he stumbled ''these are my Shellies... Shellies... Ameena... I know I've told you guys a lot about each other...''

''Ehm, hi Shellies.'' Ameena smiled and waved at the snail piñatas, as she was growing just as uncomfortable as the seed boy.

Most of Seedos' Shellybeans didn't react to her puzzled welcome gesture, except for an old female exemplar named Sharia, which started to make enthusiastic noises.

''So... What brings you guys here? It's not exactly the nicest weather to go for a walk...''

''We didn't go for... This was no Sunday stroll... It's... It's...'' Seedos averted his glance. ''I'll just tell you right away, my Shellies and I... We're looking for shelter... A place to stay, just as long as needed...''

''Of course you guys can stay with me, Seedos'' Ameena whispered, as she felt a teardrop prickling in the corner of her eye ''that's what friends are for...''

Seedos' situation really rued the girl.

Why was that boy so ashamed of asking her for help? Didn't he know that she truly cared about him, that she considered him as much as her little brother as Leafos did? Why did he become so close-tongued whenever they were talking about another subject than plants, seeds or piñatas?

''G-great! Thank you, Ameena. It means a lot to me.''

''It's okay Seedos, it's perfectly fine... It's just...'' The girl's forehead wrinkled. ''I don't think that you are all going to fit into my house, I mean, it's big enough for one person and a baby Kittyfloss, but...''

''We're okay with staying outside. My Shellies like rain - it reminds them of the swamp, their birthplace - and I, well I... I will ask Leafos if I can borrow that old tent we used to camp in when we were younger, I think she still has it somewhere in the house...''

When Seedos spoke that last word, his voice faltered a little. He couldn't put his finger on why, it were either the childhood memories he had from his parental home or his desire to snuggle away somewhere warm, cosy and comfortable... Like the old couch in the living room only his dad really sat on nowadays.

''You want to stay in a tent? You crazy? Not going to happen, not in this weather... You'll sleep at my place until the storm has blown over.''

''I don't want to be a burden...''

''You're not! Like I said, I'll help you out, that's what friends are for! Now, let's go to my house before we catch a cold... We have to talk.''

VPVPVPVPVPVPVP

Ameena heaved a deep sigh. It was evening now, the weather had cleared up, Seedos had set up a tent in the middle of her garden and their conversation hadn't gone as planned...

First of all, when she asked him why he looked so pale and anxious, the boy had been as closed as a clam. Involuntarily she wondered if clam piñatas existed, but her thoughts almost immediately wandered back to Seedos again.

There certainly was something wrong with him. He had always been an eccentric one, but he had seemed a lot happier when she first came to the Island. After that collision with Dastardos, he hadn't quite been the same.

Of course she understood how traumatizing that experience must've been to him - it had shocked her too - but he didn't ever seem to mention it, not even when he was talking to his sister, who was probably closest to him of all people.

She knew that guys didn't talk as much about their emotions as girls, but Seedos seemed to bottle up every single feeling that didn't have anything to do with his affection for Shellybeans. She'd heard some stories of Leafos, and Seedos had been through _a lot, _their whole family had... But Leafos and Storkos seemed to be doing a much better job on moving on, maybe it was because they actually had social contacts?

As if Seedos' tortured mind wasn't worrying enough yet, Ameena had the idea that he was actually scared of something that was hiding in the swamp... Even though his family and she didn't agree, the bog was the most amazing place on the entire Island to him, and he had implied often enough that he would never leave it.

Now he was probably convinced that his life was in danger if he stayed... What made him think that? She wouldn't be surprised if his gut feelings were right, so why wouldn't he tell her anything about it? If he warned others in time that something big was coming up, something evil, they could possibly do something to stop it...

It was almost as if he tried to protect something, as if the lurking danger was part of a secret of his... He knew more than Ameena, she was sure about that, he probably even knew more about Bart the Tinkerer, who still hadn't returned from his business trip...

Something was getting completely out of hand, and there was no one she could ask help from... She didn't even know what kind of help she needed, but she _did _believe in the Island's demons and Dark Gods and whenever she looked at the moon lately, she swore she saw an evil mask staring back at her...

Was it Bulan?

Not only the moon seemed to spy on her, but the bushes on the outskirts of the rainforest as well. Sometimes she would swear that she heard the panting of something ridiculously evil hiding in them, but she never dared to look... For some reason that felt like just tossing her life away.

Although the prospect of either losing her mind or getting attacked by demons in the near future sounded scary, Ameena wasn't afraid of it at all. She had a strong feeling that not only _evil _beings were keeping an eye on her.

_Someone _was guarding her from the temple of the Kelele... The presence of the huge building soothed her in a way, as if no one less than one of the New Gods was watching both her and the malicious entities...

''Mraw!'' Katchie's soft, paper fur stroked against her leg. Ameena awoke from her pondering.

''Katchie! It's time for your saucer of milk, how could I forget? Argh!'' She stretched her stiff, painful back. She had been sitting in that chair for too long... ''I believe it's almost bedtime... I'll wish Seedos a good night - no, rather not, he's probably sleeping already, he always wakes up early...

Speaking of Seedos'' she murmured as she took an opened bottle of milk out of the refridgirator ''I hope he and his father will get along better tomorrow... The latter didn't seem to pleased about his presence today...''

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''I can't believe this boy! I just can't believe him!''

''Papa, please!'' Leafos put her hands on her father's shoulders, which were shuddering of anger.

''Don't 'papa, please!' me, daughter!'' The cheeks of Jardineiro's copper mask turned a deep red. ''I can't believe your brother! He leaves that filthy bog of him - fine, he finally takes a step into the right direction - but that doesn't give him the right to bring all his slimy, use- and awardless Shellybeans with him...''

''Those are his...'' Leafos swallowed the word 'family', she knew that her father would totally take that the wrong way ''... friends...''

''Yes, yes, that's another thing! His only 'friends' are molluscs! Ain't it about time for him to search some _REAL _friends? Great Gods!''

''He _HAS _real friends, daddy! He's got Ameena!''

''_AMEENA?'' _Jardineiro thundered, his thick Irish accent making him sound a little bit less frightening. ''That girl just helps him out because she _PITIES_ him! She doesn't give a -''

''She cares _A LOT _about Seedos, probably way more than _YOU _do...'' Jardineiro fell silent, and Leafos swept a tear away. ''You, you, you... Sometimes I just can't believe you, dad.''

Leafos was about to walk out of the door and stomp to her room when her father laid a wrinkled hand on her shoulder. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he know that he was going to far, in a way.

''Leafos, please'' he said in a surprisingly quiet voice, considering he had roared like a Roario only seconds ago.

''Don't 'Leafos please' me, father!''

''Don't walk away! I'm just as concerned about Sidos as you are...''

''_HIS NAME IS SEEDOS!_''

''No... It's not'' Jardineiro mumbled. ''That's not what your Mother called him...''

''Mother is either dead or having the time of her life with an exotic, sexy, _CONSIDERATE _man!''

Jardineiro's heart skipped a beat and he felt a strong urge to scold at his daughter again - or even strangle her - but he kept his rage in. He didn't want to upset his little girl even more, he had done that enough in the past, and it was one of the only stupid things he'd done he felt sorry for.

Neither did he want to end up behind bars for murder.

''You are right, darling'' he sighed. ''She's history... but she's the prettiest, most amazing part of history there'll ever be in my opinion...''

''I just wish you could stop criticizing Seedos!'' Leafos exclaimed, afraid that her father was changing the subject on purpose, which wasn't the case this time.

''I'm sorry Leafos, but that's something I just can't. Someone needs to teach him right from wrong, he's only a young man! How old is he really? Twelve, fourteen?''

''_HE'S FIFTEEN!_''

''Oh, that's older than I thought'' Jardineiro murmured, not that baffled by Leafos' hysterical yell.

''If you were more involved with his life, you would've known...''

''Probably, yes... But tomorrow I'll have to give him a talk, the way he just wastes his life away now is no use.''

Even before Jardineiro had finished his sentence, Leafos had walked out without wishing her dad goodnight.

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''Oh, Sergei... I know you can't function in this kind of climate... Your shell is all cracked - Great Gods how come the sun suddenly shines so brightly?''

''Talking to your 'friends' again, I see?'' That voice sounded familiar.

Seedos looked up, and an expression of disgust spreaded across his mask when he saw his father rolling towards him, which confirmed his hunch of his least favorite person on the Island was about to have a 'talk' with him.

''Dad'' he said stoically.

''Is that the tent you sleep in?'' Jardineiro asked incredulously. ''It looks more like an rags basket if you ask me, or a very badly organized collection of ugly scarves...''

''Mother made it. You don't remember?''

Jardineiro cocked a brow. He was used to his youngest and only living son being stand-offish towards him, but he'd never seen him acting that cold.

Besides, bringing up Neela hadn't been very wise of the boy. It was the easiest way to irritate him, the Legendary Jardineiro...

''Oh, now I see why actual people can't stand to be around you!'' he spluttered, a vein in his temple pulsating dangerously fast. ''You won't even accept some small talk from your father! Hmph! I'm out of here, I won't speak to you again, not even if you wish me to...''

_''FINE!'' _Seedos spat as he watched his father rolling towards the house again. ''You were only here to criticize me anyway -''

''I was _SO NOT_!'' Jardineiro turned around and spoke so firmly that Seedos thought the old man actually believed what he claimed. ''I only wanted to give you some _GREAT _advice... I'm the Legendary Jardineiro you know, hundreds of Islanders would _KILL _for a conversation with me...''

''Well, I'd move to a swamp to _GET RID _of your rude comments...''

''Why don't you _MOVE BACK _then?'' Jardineiro rolled back to the garden with a furiouslook on his mask. ''The wheater has cleared up considerably!" Jardineiro pointed at the watery sun shining in the clear blue sky. ''However... I wash my hands of it! If you want to be a conceited, snotty outcast, go ahead! You're not my son anymore! You're not my Sidos! I should've known Neela was a cheater...''

The old man's heart crumpled when he spoke out those last words. Even though he'd loved Neela to death - maybe _because _he had loved her to death - he had always suspected her of enjoying the attention she got from other males more than a married woman was supposed to...

She was the most beautiful girl in the Village when they got engaged, while he just had looked like a nerdy little dork... Actually, he'd looked quite a lot like Sidos did now, so that was most probably really his son, but that didn't take away the fact that Neela was a huge flirt...

''Go'' Seedos whispered coldly, taking Jardineiro back to the present.

''You dare to tell me to leave my own _TERRAIN?_'' Jardineiro mocked the fifteen-year old.

''It's Ameena's terrain now. You sold it.''

''So? Since when are you in charge of _HER..._''

''I-I... I just can't believe you talked about Mother like that!'' .

Jardineiro smirked. ''The truth can be harsh.''

With those words, he raced towards the house again, bumped over the front door's doorstep to disappear inside.

''Great'', Seedos growled. ''I've only been here for an hour or fifteen and he starts to get on my nerves already... Argh!'' The boy let out a frustrated grunt when he saw that Sergei's cracked shell started to fall apart. ''Sergei! I'll get tape at Ameena's! I mean... no way we can afford the services of that jerk of a Patch...''

The Shellybean weezed pitiably as Seedos rushed to his best and only friend's place, which looked incredibly cosy and inviting. Willy had built it in the style he built Helper Houses - it probably even was one, because Willy wasn't quite as gifted architecturally as his predecessor, who had been in charge of the building of his parental home.

Seedos rolled his eyes at the thought of the lazy builder as he knocked on Ameena's door. Apparently, she wasn't home.

He was just about to walk away when he heard her voice.

''Seedos! Is something wrong?'' Ameena had just returned from the Village and was packed with shopping bags. It was about eleven in the morning so it was quite warm already, and the girl was all sweaty and hot. ''I'm _dying _for a glass of water... But anyways, is there anything I can do for you?''

''Yes, Sergei - oh, no!''

Seedos heard a pathetic sound that most likely meant that another Shellybean - Sharia it was - had got her shell cracked as well!

Ameena, who was a little drowsy from the heat, slowly followed Seedos' glance and let out a startled cry. ''What's wrong with that Shellybean?''

''It's the weather!'', Seedos shouted as he hurried towards it. ''Ohh, Sharia! You'll be alright... Aw, no! Yours is falling apart as well...''

''As well?'' Ameena repeated in slight despair. ''Are more of your piñatas falling apart?''

''I'm afraid so. I told you guys that Shellybeans can't function in such a dry, hot envi-''

''I'm calling Patch! I've seen enough of this...'' Another forlorn sqeal came from the other side of the garden. ''... and I've heard enough of this as well!'' Ameena said as she took out her Alert.

''I can't -''

''It's on me. Your banana tree seeds have made me rich, you know!'' She smiled, and then exclaimed, ''Patchie!'' in a way higher pitched voice than she had just spoken in.

Seedos cocked a brow. Ameena remained silent for a while and seemed to listen closely to what the doctor was saying, and then:

''Haha, oh, Patch, you're so funny...'' Apparently, Mister Amazingly Cute Doctor had made a joke. Although he couldn't hear what was said on the other side of the line, Seedos knew he wouldn't find it amusing. For some reason, he started to hate that bumbling idiot more and more every time Ameena raved about him.

Why couldn't the two of them just skip the socializing part and get round discussing how they'd help his Shellies?

''Okay'' Ameena said suddenly. Seedos' thoughts must've wandered away for a short while - he'd get that a lot - because he hadn't noticed her ending her phone conversation with Patchingo.

''Patch's coming in a minute. Well, not exactly in a minute, as soon as he manages to heal the only Rashberry of a local farmer... His name is Hanson, I believe, and that Rashberry is really all he has, it's all he cares for... The man's pretty old, you see? If his baby Rachel dies, he might as well end his own life...  
>But Patchie will prevent that!''<p>

''Great'' Seedos growled, incredibly annoyed by the fact that Ameena saw Patchingo as a hero.

In his opinion, Patchingo wasn't... If he were, he would help the piñatas for free, and he wouldn't be after Dastardos' ass all the time... Seedos had thought over and over it again, and what he'd seen in the closet of Patch's clinic was more than suspicious, the doctor probably was after something his brother had...

Why else would he give CPR to a reaper that made his job as a piñata healer more difficult? Did he know that Dastardos was a half-God?

''Don't you look so worried, Seedos!'' Ameena giggled, still swooning over Patch's awesomeness. ''He'll fix Shari up in no time! In no time...''

''It's Shari_a_!'' Seedos cried, slightly offended because she didn't remember the name of one of his most beautiful Shellybeans correctly.

''Oh, I'm sorry... You have so many of them Seedos, I don't get how you manage to differentiate them.''

''It takes practice'', he said gruffly.

''Aha! Patch says that too, he says that the ability to tell the difference between various kinds of medicines takes experience and time... He's so smart, you don't even know... Oh, oh! There he is! Patch! Patch! I'm afraid we have some patients for you...''

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At the end of the day, Seedos was tired, just tired. He hadn't done any heavy physical labour, but the argument with his dad, the visit from Patch and the worried comments his sister constantly made had exhausted him mentally, and for some reason, that had affected his body's condition too.

He could hardly move his arms, and the muscles in his legs hurt with every step he took. It was crazy, he hadn't even gone out on his seed route or anyhting like that.

Great Gods, he hated life here. He even was less productive when away from his natural environment.

It didn't matter though. The evenings here were beautiful, he had always loved spending those in Ameena's garden - even during the times between her arrival on the Island and Jardineiro's heyday, when the parcel of land had been nothing but a dreary, ravaged wilderness...

Something about this place was magical, and it was the way the sun set. The gloomy sundowns in the swamp would never match this spectacle or reds, oranges and golds, pink clouds and warm summer breezes. It was almost as divine as dawn over the old Orchid Valley... Hmm...

He wondered if the place where some of his few good childhood memories came from still existed today.

Suddenly, he felt something slimy slithering up his leg.

''Squee!'' Seedos looked down, smiling affably at the snail piñata.

The Shellybean's shell was wrapped in white bandages. It looked ridiculous; if that was what Patch charged so much money for, Seedos wanted to become a piñata vet as well.

Or actually, probably not. _He _did have dignity. ''Sergei...'' he sighed. ''Come here.''

He prudently grabbed Sergei by his damaged shell and planted a small kiss between his antenna-eyes, a kiss from which he hoped it worked reassuringly...

He wasn't sure wether he wanted to comfort the Shellybean, or himself though.

''This all is a big, big mess, Sergei'', he whispered, knowing that only the snail understood him because only he knew what his owner was going through.

Ameena and Leafos... they just couldn't comprehend how awful his life had been after the exorcism of Tsi...

''You alright, buddy?''

''Huh?'' Seedos' heart skipped a beat of excitement. Had Sergei suddenly learnt to speak, despite Chamkele's assertions, right now when he needed his support the most?

That was amazing; he'd always been jealous of the relationship between Dastardos and Magnar, he had had the desire to communicate with his piñatas on a higher level ever since he had moved in with them.

How come Sergei had the voice of a girl, though? Had he misconcepted her gender for all those years? But that was unforgivable! It was a miracle that 'Sergei' still talked to him, that she had never gotten angry about -

''Ah!'' A dark, tall figure plumped down next to him. ''I like watching the sunset as well, my friend... Ain't it beautiful?''

Seedos nodded. He hoped that the look in his eyes didn't give away his disappointment.

He didn't want a stupid conversation with that dumb girl of an Ameena. He had always considered her as a good friend - and she most probably was - but as soon as 'Patchie' came in sight, she seemed to forget all about him.

''Hey...'' she hawed, ''I... I... are your Shellybeans doing better now?''

''Slightly'', he snorted, ''I don't think that Patch is much of a good surgeon, though...''

He pointed at Sergei, and the amateurish way his shell was bandaged.

''Well... you wanted to use Scotch tape'', she said jokingly.

''Which would've been better'', Seedos replied earnestly.

''Perhaps...'' Ameena looked at her hands. Her fingernails were painted a dark grey - she wanted to switch to a hot pink as soon as she got home again, the grey reminded her of the awful weather - and she realized that her presentiments were true... Seedos _was _angry at her.

''Are you... are mad because I... sort of... _ignored _you as soon as Patch arrived in the garden?''

''Maybe...'' Seedos closed his eyes. He felt his resentment towards Ameena decreasing...

Apparently, she _did _give a damn about him.

''Sort of... I... yes. I was a little mad you could say. Only a little.''

It remained silent for a while. Even though Seedos usually enjoyed silences - even when he had human company - this was not a comfortable one.

He was more than glad when Ameena finally broke it.

''You seem more than just a little mad...'' she whispered quietly. ''Are there... more things going on than just you being annoyed by... you know?''

''Possibly.'' Seedos pressed his lips firmly against each other. He didn't want to give away too much about his fears of the Gods or his family situation.

''You can tell me!'' Ameena said in a genuinely kind voice. ''I won't say anything to your dad, or sister...  
>It's them you have a problem with, right?''<p>

Seedos nodded, to his horror. ''Actually... Mostly Dad.''

Shit. He had actually admitted it!

''Hmm... Don't get me wrong... I like your dad... but he's not really an easy person to get along with, is he?''

''No, not at all.'' Seedos stared at the ground. The shades the flowers casted on the grass became darker, and it wouldn't be long until those flowers would close their flowerheads. The dusk was falling in. ''I never seem to do anything good in his eyes...''

Ameena gulped. Was it just her or was Seedos, who usually seemed so emotionless, fighting his tears?

''... He... He thinks of me as an outcast. And I am. I know I am one.''

Ameena expected the boy to start sobbing at this point. His mask looked like a miserable, desperate mess, but he didn't let out any sounds of sadness but a peevish gasp.

''I know I am'', he repeated, looking up at the now dusky sky.

''Oh, Seedos... You may have different interests than others... but that doesn't -''

''It does matter to my dad, Ameena. And so does it to most of the Villagers... I don't have any friends.''

Ameena cocked a brow and gave Seedos a faux offended look.

''Okay'', he grinned, as soon as he noticed her staring at him like that. ''I have you. You and all of my Shellies...''

''And you better remember that'', Ameena smiled. ''You can always rely on...'' _Me,_ she added in silence, because she knew that that wasn't completely true. When Patch had visited her garden this afternoon, she had totally forgotten that Seedos even existed...

''However...'' He sighed and concentrated on the sky again. Clouds were rolling by and wild Parrybos flew back to their nests in the jungle... If he could only belong to the loving, caring but free society of those bird piñatas... If he could only mean anything more to them than a random outsider they knew nothing about...

Much to his displeasure, it started to dawn on him that he was as much of a foreigner to the Parrybo society as he was to his own.

''This might sound _weird _to you'' - he spat the word 'weird' with disgust because he had been called that countless times, and those times weren't exactly those he had good memories of - ''but...'' His tone of voice softened. His 'weirdness' wasn't Ameena's fault. ''Sometimes... actually most of the time, I don't feel like I belong to the people surrounding me...''

''What do you mean?'', Ameena asked, having difficulty with a boy not much older than her younger brother sounding so... _depressed,_ and wise at the same time.

''I am _not _depressed'', Seedos emphasized, as if he had read her thoughts. ''Really, it's something else, I'm rather... dispirited, not that that sounds any better...  
>Look. Whenever I see people laughing and smiling and just having a good time in the Village, I just don't understand what they're talking about. Or why'd they find the jokes they make funny. Whenever I observe people - wether they're my own family, random gardeners, Helpers of merchants - I feel like... a stranger.<br>Like all people belong together, in a warm, cosy house and that I'm a worthless homeless person looking in...''

''Seedos, you're not worthless -''

''I know that I _AM _not worthless, but I_ FEEL _worthless!", the boy exclaimed, slightly agitated now. ''Just... just let me finish, will you?'', he grumbled, and for a moment he sounded just like Jardineiro.

''Seedos... Please...''

''I'm alien to the other Villagers. Only my Shellies... I don't belong here. The weather has cleared up. I might as well return to my swamp...''

''You will belong some day. I promise.''

''Here's the thing...'' Seedos pulled up his legs and burried his mask between his knobby knees ''... I'm not even sure if I _want _to belong...''

''You'll figure that one out'', Ameena said as encouraging as she could. She patted the boy on his shoulder. ''I think it's time for us to find some shelter now... It's getting dark outside. The night's falling in!'' _And I don't trust the nocturnal shadows._

Seedos nodded, got up slowly and glanced briefly at the Kelele temple. He knew that his older brother and Chamkele were guarding over him, somewhere in a burial room in the upper storey of the piramid... They actually were only a hundred piñometres away from him...

Despite its volatility, Ameena noticed Seedos' trustful glance at the ruin. That was strange... Did the seed boy know more about what was going on in the temple than he gave away? And, more importantly, did that what he knew confirm her feeling that something up there protected her and her garden from further calamity?

She shuddered. Whatever was going on... she'd sleep with one eye open tonight, in case something catastrophic would go down.


	18. Morning, Birthday Girl!

**Morning, Birthday Girl!**

Golden sunbeams were creeping through the cracks in the closed shutters before the windows in Ameena's house. It was morning, and Katchie was mewing loudly to get his owner's attention.

''Meow, meow!''

''Katch... a few minutes?'' Ameena groaned, crawling deeper under her woolen blankets. ''It's not like you'll starve if you don't get your breakfast immediately...''

Apparently, the young Kittyfloss didn't agree with that at all. No, to prove how hungry he was, the kitten jumped on the bed to start licking the unmasked Tigermisu girl.

''Okay, okay, I get it!'', she giggled. ''I was pretty much awake anyway... and this day's too beautiful to waste away sleeping...''

Ameena threw the blankets off her, yawned, stretched, and walked towards the sideboard.

It had been two days since her somber conversation with Seedos, and even though she gave him as much attention as her work in the garden would allow her to, he didn't look the tiniest bit more cheerful or happy.

Actually, he seemed to be doing a lot worse. Jardineiro was constantly picking on him, and his Shellybeans started to grow more and more disgruntled. Leafos had tried to brighten his mood with a self-baked blueberry cake yesterday, but Seedos had murmured that he was allergic to blue fruits or something, which didn't sound very legit to Ameena. She had served him blueberry tea once, and he'd told her he loved it.

The good news was, that the omnious feeling of two evenings before had vanished completely. The weather had cleared up even more now and for some reason she didn't fear the shadows as much anymore...

''Ah... there it is!''

''Meow!'' Katchie started to bounce up and down enthusiastically as Ameena took a box of cat food out of the cupboard.

'''Kelly Kelson's Kittyfloss Kandy'! With actual Moozipan candy and tuna! Strange... there doesn't seem to be anything like a fish piñata... You've Newtgats, but I'd consider those salamanders... I'd have to ask Leafos about this!" With a big smile, Ameena handed Katchie the bowl of cat food. The Kittyfloss flew towards it immediately. ''And that's what I'm going to do right now!''

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''Happy birthday!''

''Huh?'' Ameena was stunned. As soon as she'd walked out of the door, a small crowd of people welcomed her... It was only nine o'clock in the morning yet!

Not that that was _that _early - the average gardener got up before the crack of dawn, usually to harvest their fruits before they went bad in the scorching afternoon sun - but her guests seemed to have decorated her entire garden...

Garlands were hung around every single tree and piñata house, a huge dining table had been set up - it carried the most delicious looking cakes - and everyone present carried a bunch of balloons...

''What do you think?'', Leafos grinned. ''Not that bad of a felicitation, eh?''

''I-I...'' Ameena was speechless. She had completely forgotten about her birthday herself, yet her best friend seemed to have remembered it very well - she had even informed the others and thrown a small party... ''I don't know what to say...''

''Don't say anything!'', Jardineiro exclaimed, his stern and gruff voice sounding merry and joyful now. ''Take a slice of cake... My lovely daughter's baked it... You should try it... She is a great cook...''

Leafos blushed under her mask, not used to receiving so much praise from her father, and started to cut a gooseberry pie in equal parts. ''I... I think that this one's the nicest for breakfast... I've baked several, as you can see.''

Ameena nodded. She still couldn't believe that all those people were here for _her_!

Leafos, Jardineiro and Seedos of course, but also Storkos, Lottie, Willy, Fannie and this girl she'd only met once or twice before, Sahari.

Most of them were chatting loudly and had hurried towards the cake, but the latter smiled at Ameena and said: ''Don't worry. More people are planning to come later on the day!''

''I... I think that there are a lot of people already...''

''Oh, come on!'' Fannie giggled, with a pink paper plate in her hand, on which lied a big slice of pie. ''Aren't you missing someone?''

''A young and handsome doctor, perhaps?'' Lottie mixed into the conversation, winking at Ameena.

With a small shock she realized that there were actually people that knew something was going on between her and Patch. Or at least that she _wanted _something to be going on between them...

Had Leafos told someone, or had they figured it out some other way? Was Patch aware of the gossips? Did he mind them? Maybe he had he spreaded them himself...

''Ameena, right?'', she heard a vaguely familiar voice say.

''Yes?'' Ameena awoke from her pondering and looked down to see a younger girl in a Flutterscotch costume. She knew that outfit... ''You're Baboschka, right?''

''True'', the girl nodded proudly.

''I love your costume.'' Ameena smiled. Baboschka smiled back at her.

''Thank you! My parents made it me - they are the owners of Indignante's, the only and most beautiful clothing store in the Village! - because I will become a real Flutterscotch one day when I get older! I need to practice now, you know!''

''Oh, I fully understand. Practice makes perfect, after all!''

''Exactly!'', Baboschka beamed.

''Haha, let's get us some cake then, Flutterscotch Princess...''

''No, no, no! I can't do that... As much as I love cake, I can't stay for long.''

''No?'', Ameena asked, tilting her head a little.

''No, I'm sorry, one of my teddybears is having his birthday today as well, and as the Queen of Stuffed Animals I just _have _to come to his birthday party! I'm only here to deliver you a present!''

''A present? You don't have to -''

''Please, pretty Tigermisu lady! I want to give you this.'' The younger girl handed her a small package, which was wrapped in glittery pink packing paper. ''You'll love it!''

''Okay then.'' Ameena smiled as she unwrapped the gift. It turned out to be a little box, and when she opened it, a plastic, but incredibly shiny ring was glistening at her. ''Wow, why... this is _gorgeous _Baboschka!''

That was a lie. The ring was hideous and actually reminded her of the totally fake jewelry you could win at the local fair or something, but of course she wouldn't be so rude to say that in the little girl's face.

Baboschka grinned from ear to ear. ''I _KNEW _you'd like it! I have one in purple myself, and it's one of my favorites! I'll give you a matching necklace next year, if you want, or - do you have your ears pierced?''

Ameena shook her head. ''I've always wanted earrings, but I'm too much of a coward to even _enter _a piercing shop!''

''Oh. That's a pity. I got my ears pierced for my sixth birthday, and it didn't hurt, I swear! Great Gods!'' The little girl glanced at her pink, oversized watch. ''It's getting late! I promised Sugarbisquit to arrive at his party on time! I can't dissappoint him, he's my most loyal servant... I have to run, Miss Tigermisu, I'm so sorry...''

''I fully understand'', Ameena smiled. ''Being a Queen can't be easy...''

''Finally someone who understands how tough the duties of a stateswoman can be!'', Baboschka yelled joyfully as she turned around and ran off home without even greeting anyone.

Ameena chuckled, putting the kitschy ring on her pinky finger. It was at least two sizes too small...

''She's cute...'', Sahari sniggered. Suddenly Ameena realized that the desert girl had been standing near her and Baboschka all the time, and that she had probably heard their entire conversation. ''..._ but _a little strange... Are you actually going to wear that?''

''I think I will, it was a nice gesture of hers to give me this...''

''Sorta agree'', Sahari shrugged. ''Anyway... let's _FINALLY _get us some cake. I haven't had breakfast yet, and I'm starving!''

The two girls walked towards the wooden table and both grabbed a plate.

''Oh, before I forget about it'', Fannie said as Storkos was pouring her a glass of lemonade, ''a big, huge package from your family arrived at the Post Office this morning.'' She grinned widely. ''Your brother Atsou seems like a really cute guy. What does he look like?''

''He's only fourteen...'' Ameena giggled, as she got all warm and fussy inside.

She hadn't heard from her family for ages! It would be great to finally read a letter from them again, even though she hadn't thought much about home lately, the sense of 'missing something' had subconciously been on her mind _all the time._

''When can I pick it up?'', she asked with a big, bright smile on her face.

''I can get it you now, if you want!'' Fannie took a sip of her lemonade. ''As soon as I've finished this glass, of course... This stuff's great, and it's so much fun here! Oh, hey, there's Petula. Hi Petula!''

The thin girl waved _so _awkwardly at her best friend, that she almost punched Sahari in the face.

''Hey, watch it!'', she shouted, but Fannie didn't seem to hear it.

''Birthday girl!'' Petula purred. ''And hey, Miss Mailbox!''

Without even giving her enthusiastic friend a glance, Petula ran towards Ameena to give her a big, tight birthday hug.

''Ehm...'' Ameena stumbled. Even though she really appreciated Petula's fondness of her, she couldn't believe that someone would ignore their BFF like that!

''I've got you, like, a nice present! Great Gods, you're eighteen already, I'll have to wait for two months still, it's sooooo annoying...''

''I'm... I'm at the Post Office... 'll be right back'', Fannie whispered, somewhat dissappointed in the cold way Petula had just greeted her.

''Thank you.'' Ameena grimaced. She knew that Petula's behaviour wasn't her fault, but she somehow felt responsible for the other girl's pain.

''It's nothing, I'm happy to go.'' Fannie smiled Goobaishly.

''So, like, Ameena, cupcake...'' Petula said happily as Fannie had started to joggle towards the Village. ''I won't leave you in suspense any longer! Please, unpack your present!''

Petula handed Ameena the a yellow box, and the latter started to loosen the purple lint that was wrapped around it.

''I'm sorry if the packaging isn't, like, all too fancy, but I got it from Paper Pets and my parents are greedy to pay for trendy packing paper like that, they say that the store doesn't need such extras to do good business...''

''Oh, that's alright'', Ameena assured her. ''This is... Holy Moozipan, Petula, this is wonderful!''

The sober box with the clashing colors contained something far beyond Ameena's expectation of a good birthday present; namely, a Cleopatra necklace, which was actually of good quality, in contrast to the plastic ring Baboschka had just given her.

''Wow...'' Ameena sighed, as she carefully put on the necklace and cautiously touched the huge emerald in the middle. ''Is this..?''

''Real? Of course it is! Only the best for my friends, you know!''

''That is so nice...''

''Aww, well, of course I'm fully aware of my kindness... Oh Great Gods, that's like, the cutest little Kittyfloss I've ever seen!"'

The ever curious Katchie had climbed out the window and was making his way to the festivities right now. He just couldn't resist the scent of pie and candy that hung in the air, and the garden was suddenly crowded with people who would probably make the time to cuddle them.

Katchie's unexpected presence nearly gave Ameena a stroke, though. She had sort of 'stolen' him from Petula after all, and even though she was the best owner Katchie could possibly get, she knew that taking people's 'merchandise' without paying for it was illegal.

Fortunately, Petula didn't seem to recognize the kitten.

''Kitty cat! Come here, like, what's his name, Ameena?''

''It's Katchie'', she grinned.

''_Kaaatchie!_'' Petula called in a high-pitched voice, but the Kittyfloss wasn't that interested in his previous care-taker. Instead of greeting her or even looking her way, he gamboled to the food table. ''Now that's a let down.''

''Don't worry about that. That young cat has a bit too much of an own will... It's nothing personal, he generally likes people.''

''Yeah...'' Petula said with an uninterested eyeroll. Then, suddenly over-excited, she exclaimed: ''Oh, look whose car that is!''

Ameena looked over her shoulder and her heart skipped a beat. Patch's red idling car was approaching her garden with its maxinum speed, which was probably a meager 20 mph.

Petula giggled girlishly. ''I... I don't mean to be rude or anything, but, like, your boyfriend's ride is pretty damn lame...''

Ameena shrugged and ran towards the doctor, whose car had gotten stuck in the muddy bank of her small pond near the garden entrance.

''Need any help?'', she asked while shoving a few bullrushes aside. ''I'm sorry for digging that thing at such an inconvenient place... I better re-cover it with soil tomorrow...''

''That's not necessary.'' Doc Patch looked up and realized that he was actually talking to the love of his life. ''H-h-happy birthday, b-by the way...''

''Thanks! I, ehm... How about you get out your car first, and then we pull it back to...''

''Yes... of course...''

Patch had just stumbled out of his clownish-looking automobile when Leafos came hurrying towards them.

''I'll take care of that'', she said as she winked at Ameena. ''Just enjoy yourself, you two!''

A tad bit uncomfortable, the couple walked away from the mere, to plump down under an outstandingly well-fertilized apple tree. They remained quiet for half a minute, an awkward tension hanging between them.

''Y-you look stun-n-ning with t-that necklace on...'' Patch stuttered finally.

''Thank you... Petula gave it to me. What do you think of my new ring?''

She showed Patchingo the piece of plastic jewelry. He had no idea what to say about it, the thing was downright ugly, but he didn't want to come off as a jerk.

Besides, who had given her that thing? Only guys could have such a horrible taste...

Slightly agitated, he muttered: ''Ehm... I w-wouldn't use t-that as an eng-g-gagement ring, y-you deserve diamond-ds...''

Ameena sniggered softly. ''This ain't no engagement ring, Patchie. It was a gift from Baboschka...''

''Oh'', Patch sighed, obviously relieved. ''I-in that case... It's cute, I-I think, very cute.''

''Hello, lovebirds!''

Fannie was back, and she was holding a small brown crate on which a purple enveloppe was pinned. Ameena jumped up elatedly.

''My package from home?''

''Yes! Go ahead open it!''

''First the letter... Oh, Atsou's handwriting just never seems to improve!'' she giggled, slightly endeared about the fact that at least _one _thing about her little brother's personality was exactly the same as when she left him.

_Hi sis! :D_

_Happy birthday oh my God youre eighteen! Now thats ancient. I hope youre having a great time in your sunny garden have a blast! :D  
>Im studying a lot myself. Its so boring. I hardly ever have time left to play soccer or anything like that. :( I hope that this message arrives on time. If youre reading this on 12 May Im getting mom and me a cake today to celebrate your birthday haha! :P<br>But no jokes mama and I are missing you. We wanted to book a flight to Pinata Island to come over and surprise you but as you know we have to go to school and work. :(  
>I hope you write us soon girl! :D Of course we bought you presents just look inside the package! :D<br>Have you made friends yet? (If so are they hot just curious.) If you ever get in trouble mom says money health or boy problems doesnt matter then you have to go straight home to us cause well take care of you.  
>We love you. :P<br>Atsou and mom!  
>XXX 3 <em>

''Aww, I'm glad to hear from them again!''

''Go open that crate!''

''I will!''

Inside the crate Ameena found photographs, her favorite baseball cap she had accidently left home and a lot of candy that was - ironically enough - not aviable on Piñata Island. She was glad that her family had thought about her, and her day had genuinely been great so far, but her biggest birthday surprise was yet to come. 

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That surprise came in the late afternoon, when even more guests had arrived in Ameena's garden. Bear, Seedos' archenemy, had brought a jukebox to the party and everyone was either dancing in the sun or eating slices of one of the amazing pizzas Leafos had made the day before.

Suddenly someone, and that someone turned out to be a flamboyant young man named Eddie Lizard, shouted: ''Look! It's Gretchen!''

In less than two seconds, all eyes were on the remarkably tall figure of Gretchen Fetchem, the huntress, who was approaching the baffled party-goers.

''Hey folks'', she said in that husky voice of hers. ''I'm here to felicitate Ameena, and ehm, oh, consider these a gift...''

She moved her inexisting chin in the direction of the two Mallowolves she was holding on a leash, which were the reason that everyone had fallen silent.

Gretchen had never given away piñatas for free before, not even on the birthdays of the most talented gardeners, and although Ameena's gardening skills were undisputedly excellent, these ones seemed to be of a rare breed only the most experienced piñata tamers would be able to take care of properly.

Not only were they slightly more thin and elegant than ordinary Mallowolves, their colors also were completely different of those of their congeners. One of them was sky blue, while the other was a bright, vibrant pink.

''Those are lovely...'' Eddie muttered, an expression on sheer admiration on his face. ''Are they... are they variants?''

''Who knows'' Gretchen laughed.

''Whatever they are, I've never seen Mallowolves like those before... I bet that they'd do amazing at the P-Factor...''

''Sure, Lizard,'' Miss Fetchem grinned, ''but would you be so kind to get out of the way? I want to hand these little gems to Ameena...''

Ameena was stunned, just like the rest of the crowd. The difference between them and her was that she _knew _what these wolves were, though.

''Gretchen...'' she mumbled uncertainly as the Huntress handed her the leash.

''They have very soft personalities'', the older woman assured her. ''You can handle these, and I'm fully convinced that you will take care of them properly... I've heard great things about you, Miss Ameena, you're very talented. You are ready for this.''

''But these are -'' the girl whispered.

''Yes, they're rather special. Just like you. I'm convinced that you'll get along well. However... no, thank you, Leafos'', she told Jardineiro's daughter who offered her a plate filled with anchovy pizza. ''Consider them a challenge. I'd love to tell you more about their lovely characters, but I'm afraid I've got to go now... I'm sorry about the briefness of my visit, I hope you don't mind, Ameena, birthday girl? It's just... Someone in a neighbouring village has requested an Elephanilla, and he's willing to pay good for it... He's not so keen on waiting, though...''

''I understand'' Ameena said, but she had an inkling that Gretchen actually wanted to get away from the party as quickly as possible... Then there was also the feeling that the Huntress knew the origins of the Mallowolves just as well as she did...

''Great. I might pay you a visit later on, sweetie.''

Was it just her or did the usually so intimidating woman wink at her?

Everyone remained silent as the Huntress calmly walked away, and when Ameena glanced at her new wolf friends, she could've sworn she saw one of them blink to her as well.

''So there _is _something going on'', she maundered to herself quietly when the music had been turned up again fifteen minutes later.

''Wrawoo!'' The blue wolf started to howl, as if he had heard and understood her.

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He would never admit it, but now that he had observed the girl for a while, Dastardos actually started to appreciate Ameena's efforts.

Sure, she was lame, naive, soft, and spoke in an unbearable, sugary voice with a stupid accent, but she had taken care of his younger brother quite well, and he had to admit that she had some mad gardening skills going on... Even his dad - the conceited jerk! - hadn't managed to build up such an impressive garden from ashes in only a month and a half...

The reaper looked around his sojourn. He still slept in the burial chamber of the Priest and Priestess, together with Chamkele and a few VIJs, Very Important Jerks as he liked to call the overly-ambitious, cocky bats.

Those things really had a problem, they were more arrogant than you'd even believe Sherbats could be and they always glared daggers at him, because he was an 'intruder'.

They probably were jealous of his close friendship with their leader, and in a way he understood it. He'd never set a step in the temple before, and suddenly he was all that to the tribe. He was allowed to come up the higher storeys of the temple, he shared meals with the Kelele elite and he actually wasn't even a bat.

The fact that he was a 'God' hardly even impressed the piñatas, even for a New God, his deitification had come pretty recent, just like the Old Gods, most of the Kelele bats saw him as a joke.

However, he was alone in the chamber now. All those nuisances were fluttering, singing and 'dancing' in the main hall, and even though Dastardos - with his floating abilities - could have joined them if he wanted to, he preferred to spend some quality time by himself above participating in the ridiculous spectacle downstairs.

Not that he would pass his precious alone-time in this dim, murky room. He would do what he always did when there were no Sherbats around to guard him.

A smug smile appearing on his mask, Dastardos floated towards one of the small windows. He didn't know why the architect had placed them in the walls of a tomb, but he couldn't complain.

The corpses in the sarcophagus didn't seem to care wether they got fresh air and illuminating beams of moonlight or not, but they sure proved servicable for one dead guy...

With an ''Oof!'', an ''Ah!'' and an ''Ouch!'', Dastardos managed to squeeze himself through the window that was probably the widest. His nightly escapades were fun, but he had to pay the prize of a few grazes and scratches for them...

The reaper made a face and descended carefully. It was the perfect night to sneak around for a reaper, the sky was cloudy and the crescent only showed up on occasion, when the cumuluses got blown away by the wind.

At the point that there were only twenty centimetres left between the lush grass on the ground and the soles of his feet, Dastardos stopped lowering in altitude. Instead, he started to float forward, straight towards Ameena's house.

She wouldn't see him coming. There was no light burning behind the closed curtains, so she was most probably sleeping. She wouldn't hear him either of course, he moved as quietly as the night itself, and no piñata would be so stupid to alarm to their owner that the man with the Wacking Stick was floating through her garden...

Just before her front door, he came to a standstill. He didn't do this very often, but he had basically traumatized the girl and she was a pretty good kid, so why wouldn't he? It was fine as long as it wouldn't become a habit...

Dastardos pulled out a beautiful golden cuff bracelet out of a pocket of his old, drizzly pants. A long time ago he had kept buttercup seeds in there... But the times that he had enjoyed gardening laid far behind him now.

Without further delay, he placed the ancient ornament on Ameena's doormat. It was a pricey present - probably even pricier than that stupid Cleopatra necklace that Paper Pets bitch had given her - but that didn't matter much, since he'd stolen it out of the Priest's treasure house...

The thing wouldn't been missed anyway. The Priest's wife was dead and gone. Even if she'd been alive now, she had an entire chamber filled with golden jewelry, so no way she would even notice the disappearance of one costly bauble.

''Have fun with it, Ameena!'' Dastardos whispered to the silence. ''But don't expect me to get you anything for Christmas!''

With those words, he floated off into the night again.

Little did he know that he weren't the only one keeping an undead eye on the recent developments in Ameena's life...


	19. Afoti Abeçu

**Afoti Abeçu**

An outrageous smirk covered the lower part of the lurid-looking mask of the Goddess Afoti. This was horrible. Everything was slipping right out of her elegantly manicured hands...

Ameena - that despicable little creature! - had turned eigteen today, and as a gift, she had received two Canda wolves from that shady huntress, Gretchen Fetchem. That confirmed Afoti's hunch of a conspiracy against the True Gods being plotted; the highly intelligent Mallowolf pack had contributed to their fall back in the day, after all.

The Dark Goddess growled agitatedly. She could just leave her hiding place in the bushes, sneak into that sanctimonious girlie's garden and smack the wolves before they could cause any damage... The other Gods and she were busy devising and a stragety to recapture The True Reign, after all, and it'd be a waste if their new plans would be ruined by a pair of paper dogs...

Yet, no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't undertake any action. She had promised Cueraça, who was the most respected God in the entire Neragua Universe, not to give away her location, no matter what happened.

He had told her that she was a spy, and that she had to leave the fieldwork to the demons. Only Cueraça's deadly claws withheld her from strangling Ameena with her own...

Afoti heaved a sigh as she realized that she had clenched her fists around an innocent varen. She let go of the mangled plant and crossed her legs tailor style.

''Sorry, love,'' she murmured. Even though she couldn't stand its humans and piñatas, she cared a lot about the Island's flora.

Afoti focused on the house again. Ameena wouldn't wake up until sunrise. She had the time to think now, to let all the things she had discovered over the past month sink in. The most shocking thing was probably... ugh. The most shocking thing was probably the fact that another disgrace stained the Goddess' bloodline.

Afoti's un-crossed her legs again and leaned back to look at the clouds that were rolling by. She liked this kind of nightsky. It was her favorite. In her part of the Neragua, the sky was permanently yellow, but she really wanted to try this for a change...

A smile spread across her terrifying mask as the thought of her younger sister Abdela came to her mind. That bitch didn't like skies like these, neither did Afoti think she would enjoy yellow welkins.

The dirty, hypocritical being. Abdela, and her branch of the family tree, were a filthy stain on the Abeçu blood line. They had brought nothing but misery...

A long time ago - Afoti could still recall the exact date, Saturnus had been in the sixth house, which was a harbinger of calamity - Abdela had left the underworld to start a small tribe of her own in the World of the Mortals.

Afoti had been enthusiast at first...

_''Abdela! Go ahead, yes, please! Create a people that is more powerful than the ones Bulan, Mze and Cueraça have made! Make them stronger of will, sharper of mind and colder of heart than any of our current subjects!''_

_''Yes, I will my friend and blood sister. I will create a people unlike any others, and I will be their queen.'' _The warm smile Abdela had worn on her round, platina mask still haunted Afoti nowadays... The same was for the last embrace they ever shared, for some reason, her younger sibling's touch lingered on her skin whenever she was consciously aware of the fact that she still existed...

However, the problem, the thing that shattered their relationship that had felt so reliable into a thousand pieces, was the fact that Abdela and she had understand a completely different thing by ''a people unlike others''...

Twenty years after Abdela's departure, Afoti had decided to set off for a trip to the Mortal World to visit her younger sister... Not only had she missed her pretty mask, she also wanted to have a good laugh again, the other Gods were far not as fun as her dear baby sister was.

After two weeks of wandering through the jungle and the traversion of several wild rivers, Afoti finally reached something that looked like a campsite.

_''Hello?'' _The place she had ended up in - which turned out to be a group of several tents and campfires, a small village - was surprisingly quiet and serene.

_'Where are the blood splatters, and where are the skewers with lizard meat? Where are the spears with the heads of the conquered enemies? Where are the drums and the other ceremonial instruments?' _Afoti had wondered.

This sure didn't look like anything she had expected the village of the ''ultimate mortals'' to be...

Not much later, the humans in question appeared from the wilderness. Abdela, who was unmasked, much to Afoti's shock, was marching in the back of the procession.

_''Abdela!'' _Afoti huffed, as a frightening red glow ignited in her usually deep brown eyes. _''You have not kept your promise!''_

_''My sister!'' _Adbela exclaimed in surprise. _''I have missed you!''_

Abdela scooted up to her older sister and role model to embrace her, but Afoti created a magical barrier and looked at the apostate with the coldest glance imaginable.

_''Spare me your hugs! Where is your mask, Abdela? Do you regard yourself as worthless as a mortal now, you Syrupent?''_

_''Afoti, please! My people are not worthless!''_

The mortals surrounding them were getting curious, now that their leader and creator was talking to this strange, evil-looking lady, who was surrounded by a weird, glowing bubble of energy.

One curious man touched the barrier. The cry he let out was piercing; the man could do nothing but run around circles while watching how his entire forearm molt away, until there was nothing left of it but a bloody stub.

Abdela stopped arguing with her sister to hurry towards the unfortunate man.

Afoti shook her head mockingly. _''Now that I know you rather treat the wounds of trifling humans than that you fulfill your tasks as a Goddess, I've seen enough. We are no family anymore, sweetheart.''_

Abdela was too busy with the injured guy to pay attention to what her sister was saying. A fatal mistake.

_''We will meet again in Neragua...''_

And with those words: BOOM! Afoti disappeared in thin air, in a splitsecond she was sent back to the underworld where she belonged.

Abdela didn't notice that though, not until half an hour later, when the bleeding of the man had stopped.

_''Goodness gracious,'' _she had murmured, the sun setting against the jolly jungle scenery, which now was littered by splatters of scarlet blood. _''This may lead to much bigger problems than I had foreseen...''_

It did, but it wasn't until the Religious Revolution or the Island's First War until the conflict finally heated up. By that time, Abdela had left the rainforest to move into what is nowadays called the Quemadas Volcano. Pester's lair is an exact replica of it, except for the fact that the 'Professor' has sculpted the volcano wall to ressemble his own face.

From the Quemadas however, Abdela kept an eye on her precious rainforest tribe as well as on the bigger towns that had been built by the ''True'' Gods' people. She liked the volcano, because it represented furtility. It was very hot in there with all the magma and molten rock of course, but she had lived in the Neragua for most of her life so she was quite used to heat.

Abdela of course was delighted when the ''Young Gods'' came up. They carried out her views more than the the ''True Gods'' did. Even though she descended from the same forefathers as the latter, she couldn't agree on oppressing the mortals just because it was 'fun' to see them suffer.

No, Abdela was very proud of those brave, young people who laid their lives on the line for freedom. Although she was all for equality, there was one girl in particular that had won her heart...

That girl was named Jeimiña, and she was born in the small village that Abdela had found a two centuries ago.

Jeimiña undubietly descended from Abdela herself, she had carried the children of a mortal after all. The girl's face was identical to hers, even if there were at least five generations between her and the former-Goddess...

Of course Afoti found out about Jeimiña shortly after Abdela did. She was outraged, especially when that sick little creature succeeded in making the True Gods' humans love piñatas.

That was only the beginning, though, nothing but pacific protest. A few months later, the actual War broke out.

After a chain of bloody battles even the former Goddess of Soil didn't enjoy recalling, the War was, surprisingly, won by the newcomers. The ''True Gods'' backed down and descended to the Neragua again, and Afoti's rage was unmeasurable. She weeded out her own demon legions by millions, just to get rid of her anger and rebuilt the strengths she had lost in the actual war.

The True Gods didn't leave the underworld for decades. They felt too humiliated to show up in the World of the Mortals, which gave the liberated humans the opportunity to develop themselves according to the ideology if the New Gods.

Abdela's people, which were known as 'Jeimiña's tribe' under the new regime, blossomed to be an even more loving, peaceable and learned community than they already were. After a while they managed to master the force of nature, a form of magic that had always been unknown to both the 'Old Gods' and their body of Priests.

Though succesful, the tribe was not that big. After a while, people started to marry their cousins and sometimes even their siblings. When the first disabled children were born, Jeimiña's people knew that if they didn't wanted their fairly developed society to perish in diseases and handicaps, they had to leave their place in the rainforest and set off to other places.

A considerably large group migrated to the villages. Both Suelos' and Jeimiña's villages were popular, since those were the Gods the Jeimiñians could relate most to.

The Jeimiñians were crazy about piñatas and started to tend their own gardens. Naturally, they were excellent gardeners. Some were gifted with great healing skills as well, even today most native doctors have Jeimiñian blood.

A smaller group of Jeimiñians went to the Central City. That was crazy for a tribe that stood so close to nature. Their brothers and sisters back in the rainforest shook their heads at this, moving away to end incest was one thing, but swapping the joy of feeling fresh grass under your feet and breathing the clean air of either the mountains or the jungle for a hectic life in a crowded place... That just baffled them.

One family, so Afoti was told, did something even more insane though. They permanently left Piñata Island.

Shortly after the Religious Revolution, boats from all over the world landed in the harbour near what had formerly been Mze's city. It was now a disorganized anarchy that was basically in the hands of the local mob.

The town was dangerous and filthy, but the foreign ships drew the attention of the father of the small, Jeimiñian family. He had always been adventurous, and the idea of sailing the other end of the world really appealed to him.

His wife wasn't all for the plan at first. Going on a three-month boattrip with two young children aboard was sheer madness to her. She had heard about the illnesses on deck and they frightened her. What if one of her little babies fell ill and died on the middle of the ocean?

Somehow, her husband managed to convince her though. It took him two years to do so, but on a warm, muggy summer night, the family finally set their first unsteady steps on the deck of a cargo ship for Ghana...

Afoti bit her lower lip so hard that the salt taste of blood brought her back to reality.

Ameena was a descandant of the Abeçu family.


	20. Reunification

**Reunification**

''Hmm... What is this?''

Ameena kneeled down to pick up the shimmery ornament laying on her doorstep. It seemed to be made of bullion.

''A bracelet... It's positively stunning! Would it be gold? Real gold?'' the girl squealed as she examined the thing inquisitively. ''This sure is too valuable to leave lying around on people's doormats... Someone must've brought it here on purpose... Another birthday gift?''

The girl made a face. The snout of her Tigermisu mask wrinkled funnily. ''Such fancy jewelry... I must have a secret admirer! Would it be Patch? No, he already gave me a medical encyclopedia earlier yesterday...'' She shook her head. ''Useful, but not exactly what you'd call romantic... It's endearing in a way, though.''

Suddenly, right when she was attempting to put on her new armband, the skyblue Canda wolf stormed towards her. He recognized that bracelet. It had once belonged to a stuck-up, but sort of nice Priestess who always used to give him Squazzil candy.

''Hey... Wolfie... I still need to give you a proper name,'' Ameena murmured as the big dog started to jump up and down in front of her.

When the piñata wolf finally came to a standstill he barked loudly, his glance fixated on the cuff bracelet.

''Yes, I know, it's pretty! Shh! Quiet down, before you wake up everyone in the entire region!'' The Mallowolf obeyed directly. ''What is it you want to tell me, boy?''

''Wraf!'' the actually genderless Canda wolf said.

Ameena frowned. ''It's almost like... Oh! I get it! You gave me this, didn't you!''

A warm smile appeared on her pink mask. ''Come here!'' Before the paper wolf knew it, he was tied up in an extremely tight embrace. ''I love you!''

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''Hey, Leafos!''

Ameena came just back from the Village and was carrying empty baskets, in which she had transported her self-harvested and self-grown fruits and vegetables. She was about 1000 choco coins richer now and she would pick up some bones at Costolot's later today if she turned out to have enough money to spend on those. This afternoon, she had planned to draft her balance sheet for the rest of the month... Argh, she hated that! Organizing her own finances was something about adulthood she just couldn't seem to get used to.

''I was wondering, Ameena, do you have any plans for today?'' Leafos asked, while patting the cotton candy-pink Canda wolf on its papery head.

''Except for spending a few hours inside the house administrating my household expenses? No, not really,'' Ameena said, half-sighing, ''unfortunately not.''

''Come on, girl! You can't be that boring! I know something _way_ more exciting for you to do...''

''Tell me about it!'' Ameena growled as she plumped down under an apple tree. ''Dear God, it's hot today!''

''Agree,'' Leafos snickered. ''And that's why you shouldn't be doing your administration today... No, I've got better plans for you!''

''Like what?'' Ameena asked with a watery smile. ''Going on a trip to the Piñarctic with you?''

''You're not even that far wrong! Didn't you tell me the other day that you've wanted a Cinnamonkey ever since hearing of their existance, but never managed to tame one for some reason?''

Ameena tilted her head a little. ''Yes, why?''

''Well, if they don't come to you, why don't we come to them?'' Leafos suggested. ''There are plenty of Cinnamonkeys in the rainforest, and it's considerably cooler there, in the shade of the bushes and trees...''

The dull expression on Ameena's mask lightened up a little bit. ''You mean, like... We're going to hunt for them like Gretchen Fetchem does?''

''That's exactly what I mean, my friend!'' Leafos said while helping Ameena up. ''I don't see why we wouldn't... Your garden is _perfect _for Cinnamonkeys! No snow, no sand, no scary or hostile piñata neighbours and a bunch of beautifully blossoming monkeynut trees! You have anything a Cinnamonkey could wish for...''

''Hmm. If you put it that way... I'm getting dressed!''

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Fifteen minutes later, the two friends were making their way through the jungle with machetes. Cinnamonkeys prefered the denser parts of the rainforest over the areas with trackways, Leafos had just told Ameena.

''Why then?''

''I think they don't want humans to know that they are actually quite intelligent... They might act silly when around people, but they only do that because they realize it makes them money. Here, away from the civilized world, they sort of have their own communities and villages...''

''So they're just like the Canda and the Kelele in a way?''

''You could say that, but there far not as developed and they don't share the same ambitions... As far as I'm concerned.'' Leafos slashed a low-hanging liana and wiped off her moist forehead. ''Phwew... I haven't spent much time studying wild Cinnamonkeys, though. I would love to do that some day, I just never get around it... An entry about a Cinnamonkey village would be a true gain to the Journal...''

''The Journal? I thought that you had finished the Journal a long time ago,'' Ameena mumbled while whisking the musqitos that had gathered around her away.

''There's a second Journal. I've been working on for two years now. It's different from its predecessor, the information it contains is much more in-depth. I could even say it's slightly scientific from time to time...''

''Look! Is that a riverbed?'' Ameena knew it was impolite, but she was so surprised that she just couldn't help but interrupt Leafos' rambling.

''Must be... It's very shallow though.''

Ameena curiously set course to the partly dried-up creek ahead of her. Leafos followed her from a small distance.

''Be careful! There could be wild Cocoadiles hiding underneath the water surface, you never know with those jungle streamlets!''

''Oh, come on! The water level's way to low for such undesired surprises! You're scared, aren't you?'' Ameena giggled.

''I don't see the problem with that,'' Leafos objected as she progressed slowly. ''When I was seven years old, my older brother Stardos took me on a trip to an oasis in the middle of the Dessert Desert... It was a lovely place; paradise, if you asked me, there even was a small pond surrounded by incredibly thick palm trees...''

''Let me guess,'' Ameena reckoned as she started to walk downstream the river, ''you went for a bath?''

''Exactly.'' Leafos shuddered audibly. ''I better hadn't.''

''No? What was in there then, if I may ask you?''

After a short silence, Leafos answered in a small voice: ''A wild Chippopotamus.''

Ameena turned around, a shocked look on her Tigermisu mask. ''Most people don't survive an attack of their non-paper counterparts...''

''The ones made of confetti are notorious as well,'' Leafos grimaced. ''I don't remember much of what the Chippo did - I must've suppressed it very deeply - but I _can _recall Stardos saving me right before I lost my conciousness... He must've fought the beast in some way, because the blood on his face is something I _do _remember pretty vividly. He managed to falter me to the doctor before it was too late. It was awful, we both have scars to remind us of the bloody event... Well, Stardos _would _have scars if he were _alive _still...''

The girl shuddered again. The disappearance of her brother was without question more traumatizing than that mad Chippo he had once saved her from.

Suddenly, Ameena noticed something that looked like an abandoned building. It was partly covered in moss and bushes, but since it made of a strange type of white rock, it stood out in the jungle scenery like Petula's costume would stand out in any other place than Piñata Island.

It wasn't completely foreign-looking, but it certainly was noteworthy and slightly out of place.

''I know you've never been to this part of the jungle before, but ehm, do you have any thoughts on it?'' Ameena asked wonderingly.

''It must be some kind of temple,'' Leafos answered, ''but other than that... No. Absolutely not.''

''Shall we take a look inside? I mean, that Kelele temple wasn't exactly dangerous either, was it?''

''Except for the fact that those bats temporarily abducted my little brother...''

''They just wanted to honor him because they liked seeds as well! Seedos confirmed that!'' Ameena exclaimed in a voice that was overflowing of enthusiasm. ''And in case there are any ferocious monsters in there, we're armed!''

She winked at her best friend, who started to warm up to the idea now that her curiosity was taking the upper hand as well.

''Okay then,'' she grinned as she clenched her fists around her rusty machete more tightly. ''This doesn't look like a temple the Dark Gods would've built to me. They would've never used that kind of material, it's nice in a way, but it looks pretty poriferous... The Dark Gods liked powerful and concrete, buildings to pass the test of time with.''

Despite her brave words, Leafos couldn't completely convince herself of the safety of the place. She was slightly on guard when she set foot on the temple terrace, fervently hoping that her assumptions of the building were right.

Ameena on the other hand, was totally relaxed and stared wide-eyedly at the walls. They were chalky, limestone-like and completely covered in discriptions she wished she could decode.

''Those must be carved in the walls with... what are they called... _bifaces _and stuff!''

Leafos couldn't help but wish Ameena wouldn't cry out every single thing that occurred to her. A few metres later, the two reached the temple entrance. A tall Cinnamonkey statue guarded the doorway.

''It's beautiful!'' Ameena gasped.

''It is,'' Leafos agreed, in a quiet voice, afraid that something inside the temple could overhear them and would come out if she'd talk too loudly.

''Do you think this means there are Cinnamonkeys around here? I haven't seen any since we entered the forest...''

''Ameena...'' Leafos hadn't wanted to interrupt her friend's childlike marvel, but she just couldn't help herself. She was soaked in sweat already, and that was not due to the high temperatures. ''... I have a very bad feeling about this...''

Was it just her, Leafos wondered, or had the sky become a little darker and heavier, as if a thunderstorm was about to burst out?

''What's going on then?'' Ameena asked as she stepped away from the passage which she had been wanting to enter. The bright look on her mask had made place for a very troubled one. ''Do you... feel something?''

''I guess you could say that.''

Leafos glanced at the entrance, shivered, and turned around.

''Don't you think we'd better leave?'

Ameena would be loyal to her friend, no matter how much she was longing to explore the temple. ''Sure, I don't think that there are really Cinnamonkeys in there anyway...''

''Cinnamonkeys, no,'' a familiar voice unexpectedly sounded. ''Should you enter, though? Yes.''

A pink, bare, middle aged face appeared in the doorway. The green eyes were squinting against the weak jungle light, the nose was small and hardly noticable and the mouth was just incredibly wide.

Leafos - who wasn't used to seeing people maskless - squealed and covered her eyes, while Ameena exclaimed: ''Bart the Tinkerer!''

''That's me,'' Bart grinned. ''You can look, Leafos, my beauty isn't exactly blinding...''

Leafos smirked. She removed her hands, but she couldn't muster to look at anything but the ground.

''Come in, come in! I'm afraid I can't offer you tea or cookies, but hey, it isn't all that bad! You'll be getting to see one of the rare places on the Island where one of the Gods still lives on!''

''Still lives on?'' Leafos asked skeptically as Ameena and she entered a dark, muggy space. ''Who? You would expect a God or Goddess to choose more of a _fancy _residence, right, all I can see is... Wow...''

In the back of the room, which was basically empty, unpaved, and had holes in the ceiling through which water was dripping down, the effigy of a beautiful woman was posted on an altar.

''Impressed now, Leafos?'' Bart bantered playfully.

She sure was! The marble statue, which was bathing in the warm, pinkish light of the small candles surrounding it, depicted the most divine lady. She was tall, slightly muscular, had a wide nose and full lips and wore the most dazzling mask the Piñata Island had ever known...

''Hello Ladies, My Name Is Jeimiña. I Have Been Expecting You...''

Leafos was dumbstruck, a Goddess, a Goddess that hadn't showed up to civilazation for centuries was speaking to _her_, the trifling daughter of an old gardener?

Bart snickered as he found the shocked girl's maskial expression amusing, but averted his glance to look at Ameena. Interestingly, she was reacting completely different to the talking statue, he couldn't say she wasn't stunned, but still... He thought he saw a hint of recognition in her frown. Was she aware of the secret that was hidden far back in her pedigree?

''Ameena. Here You Are. Finally.''

''Ehm, I don't mean to be rude miss,'' Ameena stuttered. ''But... have you been turned into a statue or something?''

''No.'' A small giggle sounded through in the clear and just wonderful voice. ''I Still Consist Of Flesh And Blood, My Dear. I Just Cannot Show Up Anymore Now That Both My Mask And My Beauty Have Been Taken... That Is A Long Story Though, And I Am Afraid We Have Little Time. Gretchen... Gretchen, Where Are You? Hurry Up.''

''Here I am, your sublimity,'' the hoarse voice of the Huntress sounded from a shadowy corner of the rectangular chamber.

The old Tinkerer subconciously licked his lips. The stone depiction of the Goddess was gorgeous, but even Jeimiña had nothing on Gretchen, who's beauty was positively flooring.

''Gretchen?'' Ameena asked as her mouth fell open. ''What are you doing here, what's going on?''

''Sweetie...'' The Huntress smiled in the sugary way she only ever seemed to smile at Ameena. ''All these foggy occurences will be cleared up in a nick of time.''

Ameena wasn't sure wether to be reassured, but was okay with the explanation of the older and more intimidating woman.

''You Have Always Known You Were Special, Not?''

The deity Jeimiña spoke again. Leafos teeth began to chatter. This was all too much, wasn't it? She had ended up in a shady temple in the jungle where her new BFF was being talked to by a True Goddess - unbelievable that she had been having breakfast with her father just this morning!

''Not exactly, your highness...'' Ameena really couldn't think of a moment where she'd felt 'different' or 'better' from the rest. In school, she had been an okay student with okay grades, she had a lot of friends but she'd never been considered a queen bee or anything like that, neither was she outstandingly talented on the aritistic front... Sure, she could make pretty drawings and she had some knitting skills, but that was about it.

''Think Harder Then.''

The girl bit her lower lip. She was pretty, that was a fact, but that couldn't be what the Goddess meant...

''Ameena, how in the world can you forget about you being a botanic genius?''

That was Gretchen's voice. She sounded as if losing her patience. Was there really that little time left? What was going on?

''I'm sorry,'' Ameena blushed as her heart started to beat faster. ''I'm good at gardening, Miss Jeimiña...''

''That Is Not Exactly What I Meant,'' the voice echoed through the small temple, which made Ameena wonder where the Goddess actually hid herself. ''But I _Do _Agree. However, Have You Never Felt That _Spark_, Haven't You Ever Had The Idea You Were Capable Of Doing Incredible _Things_, Great Things Others Only Can _Dream _Of?''

Ameena shrugged. ''I-''

''Hush. Like I Said, We Do Not Have Much Time. Haven't You Felt The Tension In The Air, Lately? It's Everywhere, The Heavy Atmosphere, The Prophecy Of Something World Changing Being About To Go Down...''

Leafos gasped anxiously. The three humans ignored her, but the Goddess said: ''You Have The Full Right To Be Afraid, Sister Of...'' Right when she said 'Dastardos', the cry of an undefined jungle bird overruled the Goddess' voice.

Leafos was too upset to wonder what the Goddess had wanted to say, and by the time Jeimiña said: ''The Fact That Bart And Gretchen Are Not Even Worried Continues To Baffle Me...'' she had completely forgotten about the deity's incompleted sentence.

''We know she'll do the right thing,'' Bart huffed. ''We have nothing to fear!''

''Beings That Live In The Underworld Can Be Surprisingly Sharp And Manipulative, Tinkerer.''

''She's stronger than that! We're stronger than that! You are just making up doomsdays, Jeimiña!''

The statue seemed to give him a rather stern look, even though Ameena was sure that the stone's maskial expression couldn't have changed. That was creepy...

Bart hastily appologized. ''Not that I can blame you for being cautious that after the assault, I mean, of course, the creatures of the Neragua are capable of horrible things...''

''Please. Never Underestimate A Demon, Tinkerer. Before You Know It, They Are After You As Well. I Think That They Actually Are Already...''

''Setting my trailer on fire was all they managed to do, and that didn't hurt me,'' Bart scoffed. ''Now...''

''Now Let Us Not Bring The Girls In Further Perplexity,'' Jeimiña interrupted him decidedly. ''Ameena. Bart, Gretchen And I Have Discovered Something.

Something You Should Know.''


	21. Cueraça's Relevations

**Cueraça's Relevation**

Afoti was standing in front of a huge golden mirror in her flashy residence in the most rotten part of the underworld Neragua. She was untying her horrifying mask. Her lips formed a weak smile as the reflection of her outstandingly beautiful face emerged to stare back at her.

The beauty in the mirror showed a striking ressemblance with that new girl, Ameena, whom she'd seen maskless the second night she'd spied on her. Her young descandant had gone for a walk in her moonlit garden to look at the first nocturnal piñatas she'd attracted; a couple of Mothdrops and an elderly Pretztail.

Afoti chuckled when the tought of what she'd done with 'Poprock' came to her mind. The night after Ameena's nightly stroll, the Goddess had sneaked upto the unsuspecting Pretztail to break its brittle neck with her bare hands.

Its life candy had tasted sticky and tough, but the devastated look on Ameena's mask when she discovered one of her favorite piñata's remains had been a delicious treat. The girl still believed nowadays that a Sour or Ruffian had laid its claws on her little pet - ha! If she only knew how much more powerful the slaughterer of Poprock was... If she only knew how much that deity wanted to let her undergo the same fate...

Afoti smacked her full lips as a sign of displeasure. She couldn't kill Ameena, yet. She had to overtalk things with Cueraça first. Even though Cueraça was no member of the Abeçu family, he seemed to know more about Ameena's role in the Island's Universe than she did. Afoti had always wondered why Cueraça just seemed to know _every _single detail of importance, he wasn't even the first God created...

That had been Mze, the Sun God. According to the Neraguan laws, he was the most powerful God of the underworld, but ironically enough, Mze was just an idiot who sat in his golden palace in his golden city all day and never put his talents to practice.

Afoti heaved a disapproving sigh, she just didn't get that man.

With some reluctance, the woman took off her blood-stained robe. She would change it for a complicated, but utterly stunning dress Cueraça loved to see her in. He insisted on his fellow Gods to only enter his sanctuary in style. He was allergic to sloppiness, he acclaimed, plain garbs and masks made him feel sick.

The Goddess had to admit the dress was gorgeous herself, too. If it weren't as uncomfortable, she would wear it daily.

It was a short, gladiator-like two-piece, made out of nothing but the best gazelle leather, imported from the backwoods of an African mainland country she'd forgotten the name of. The top didn't have straps or sleeves, but was kept in place by long strings of cotton thread crossing on the exposed back, on which the teeth of ferocious predetors were laced as if they were beads.

The outfit had a matching mask. It looked simpler and less lugubrious than Afoti's putrefied Sarsgorilla mask at first glance, but if you had a closer look, you would notice that the black, coriaceous-y material the death mask was made of was actually dried skin.

Dried human skin, to be precise. Poached from the faces of innocent, terrified desert dwellers, caught and abducted by Cueraça's men while their spouses and progenies perished in the fires the demons had kindled to cause chaos.

Afoti sniggered while putting her heavy, terracotta earrings on. Cueraça treated the Islanders like garbage from time to time and he had some real issues with his ego, but he _did _care about his the wellbeing of his fellow Gods, that was clear.

When completely embellished, Afoti walked away from the enormous mirror to put on her favorite sandals. Unlike most Gods and Islanders, she preferred wearing shoes to walking around barefooted. The idea of being one with the earth's soul didn't appeal to her at all, she had always found that strange concept.

Without further hestitation, Afoti gathered all magic energy in the room together to create a window to the other side of the Neragua, where Cueraça lived. Walking all the way would take her ages - the underworld of Piñata Island was more extensive than the Atlantic Ocean.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''Afoti my best!''

The Dark Goddess had arrived in Cueraça's throne room. She bowed before her 'brother' to kiss his bony fingers.

''It is great to see you, as always,'' she mumbled dutifully. She hated these formal greetings, but they were part of an immemorial protocol.

''It is great to see you too. That dress looks beautiful on thou, did you know that, Goddess of Fire?'' Cueraça made a baby-Barkbark face, which looked ridiculous on his terrifying mask.

He liked messing with Afoti. A lot. The way she didn't react to his faux flirting attempts was just precious!

''That sure is flattering, but do not forget that I am the Goddess of Natural Disasters, Raça,'' she said firmly. _There you go again, _Cueraça thought amusedly. ''I need to talk to you.''

''Of course, of course!'' the God of Death cried out in his scary, high-pitched voice. ''What is it you want to speak me about, comrade? I am _dying _of curiosity.'' He giggled shortly at this bad pun. ''As you can see, I've sent my personnel away so that we can talk in silence.''

Afoti looked around the room. No demons were standing against the scarlet walls, nor were there any strolling about over the sandy floor.

''Have a seat,'' Cueraça jovially knocked on the - slightly smaller - throne next his. ''You cannot stand around like a servant when overtalking important matters.''

Obediently, Afoti perched at the seat next to Cueraça's. It was made out of platinum and had the ancient inscriptions for _'Neraguan Supremacy'_ carved on the sides.

''I am all ears, but then again, I am all that is anyway.'' Sinister laughter echoed through the empty space.

''Come on...'' Afoti frowned annoyed. That one-and-a-half-millenium old corpse was such a _child _from time to time!

''Please, Afoti, do not lose your forbearance with me today... We have important matters to discuss - I know you want to talk about Ameena with me, because I wanted to talk about her with you too.  
>She is an interesting little being, not?''<p>

''Aye,'' the Goddess next to him sighed. ''Just tell me. Do you know who she is? What she is?''

''Maybe. But tell me what _you _know first,'' the God of Death teased his interlocutor.

''Alright,'' Afoti groaned, and to make an end to Cueraça's annoying games she said: ''She's a descendant of the Abeçu family who is very powerful for some reason and looks exactly like Jeimiña -''

''Who looks exactly like her ancestor Abdela, who looks exactly like her _twin sister _-'' Cueraça sing-songed triumphantly.

''Afoti, me, yes,'' the Goddess in question cut him off. ''If her skin tone would have been a little lighter, if her body would have been a little more slender and if her face would have been a little less wide - yes. She would have looked exactly like me.''

''Do not forget the eyes. The eyes are the windows to one's soul, not? Your eyes show coldness and determination, while I would describe hers as emitting kindness and ambition.''

''However. Her bloodline does not explain why she is so different. I have dozens of descendants milling about in the Human World! What is new about this Ameena, except for the fact she was raised on the mainland?''

Afoti was losing more and more of her remaining patience. Cueraça knew more about this girl than he gave away! He liked to keep his fellow Gods guessing when he was aware of something they weren't; he enjoyed the sense of power it gave him more than anything else.

''I do not know that,'' Cueraça said after what had seemed several minutes to Afoti, but had only been twelve seconds. ''That is something I can only ponder about. She could have inherited some of your and Abela's talents, just like that stupid Jeimiña back in the day. I suppose you understand what that means to us, the True Gods?''

''Not exactly,'' Afoti confessed. ''And I would like to know how you know... You seem to know everything about anything that happens around us, Mister Reaper. How do you face _that _out? Your little demon soldier again?''

''You are wondering if I use Ksi to gather information? Not at all, I am very fond of that Lizardi and he definately has some outstanding talents, but he is not exactly the brightest being in the Neragua! Besides, I do not _need _messagers! I study the patterns of the universe as if they were constellations in the sky, Afoti,'' Cueraça answered complaisantly. ''If you possessed more patience, you would be capable of doing the same. It takes time, dedication and practice!''

''I'd rather use you as a medium. What does this mortal mean to us?''

''Oh, but she is no ordinairy mortal, my best, she is far from that. I think that we could even put her in the half-God league. Do you remember that night not too long ago, when we unanimously decided that the Religious Rollback would take place, hm, that night we all sat around the dinner table together? Believe me when I say that Ameena will be _the _crucial factor to determine our victory or loss!''

''How then?'' Afoti cocked a brow - which had a perfect shape, even though it had never ever been plucked.

''I told you about how we are not the biggest forces in the Universe, not? How we are actually dependant on what is given to us, the so called _cosmos_?''

''I think you have. And that was a boring story,'' Afoti snorted.

''Boring, maybe,'' Cueraça gnashed, slightly irritated by Afoti's attitude ''but vital to what I am trying to explain you. This might seem paradoxical to you, Miss 'Boring', but as much as we rely on the cosmos, we influence it ourselves - the magically talented inhabitants of both Piñata Island and the Neragua.''

''Wait, hold up. I do not think I get that one.''

''Then let me finish,'' the Death grumbled. ''I was just having a breather!  
>The two worlds in the Bermuda Triangle are currently inhabited with both 'good' and 'bad' beings, if you would put it in those superficial words to avoid unnecessary complexity.<br>These 'good' and 'bad' beings all possess a certain amount of energy, which I will spare you the explanation of its essence of. The cosmos itself is a neutral force. It chooses to provide power to whatever which is in majority; 'dark' or 'light' energy.''

Cueraça coughed. His troat was always unbelievably dry - that one of the disadvantages of being a mummified corpse.

''After the Religious Revolution,'' he continued raucously ''the amount of 'dark' and 'light' energy on the Island was practically stable. There was a slight ascendancy of 'light' energy, but not enough to keep us down here for good. The era of the New Regime came, but that was just an era, as I recognized right from the start.  
>I knew it would not be long until the Scales of the Cosmos would be out of balance again.''<p>

''It took several centuries,'' Afoti sniffed.

''What are centuries to eternity, may I ask you? Right. Trifling. As trifling as Suelos, Platia, Dastardos and all of their other little friends. But let us not discuss the value of time now, since we do not have that much of it for once.  
>A few months ago, only weeks before Ameena's arrival, a few powerful shamans died. They were offspring of the Priests that had worked together with the 'New...' - argh, I cannot bring myself to call them by there so-called self-acquired title, therefore I will not.<br>However, I am rambling. I know your attention span was not made for long lectures like these, Afoti, but hold on.  
>The death of these shamans influenced the cosmos in such a way that it completely neutralized. In a neutral situation like this, neither 'good' or 'bad' can take action for self-interest. The enemy is powerless at the time, but so are we...''<p>

Cueraça smiled melancholically. ''That can change, though. There is one factor that can change that.''

''Let me guess. Our good friend Ameena?''

''Our good friend Ameena,'' Cueraça confirmed ''who might turn out to be our worst enemy if she makes the wrong decision... The cosmos will only release our chains if she decides to join _us, _the True Gods.''

''She will join her little buddies rather than a creepy skeleton and his army of freaks,'' Afoti flatly said, ''no doubt about that.''

''Now she fits in just fine with her silly piñata friends, the os-family and Bart and Gretchen - those stupid minions of Jeimiña - but she was not born and raised on the Island. Even though she thinks she has, she has not made a definitive choice yet. All she has seen is propaganda, the people she had met are living advertisements of what is supposed to await her at the 'good' side.  
>I am not saying that the publicity they carry out is false - I am just trying to stress that her <em>heart <em>still has not settled. We do not know if her heart is as dark as ours, there is a fair chance it is! We can still win her soul to use her power for our own interest.  
>She is powerful, Afoti. With her on our side, we will be unconquerable!''<p>

The Goddess rolled her eyes skeptically. ''And if she chooses the side of those idiots, _they _will be unconquerable. You have taken that into consideration, right?''

''Of course I have.'' A malicious grin spreaded across Cueraça's mask. ''I do have a back-up plan, Afoti, I always do.  
>If it turns out we cannot convince Ameena to make the right decision, we will just assassinate her. With Ameena dead, the situation on the Island will turn back the way it was before her arrival. We will not have the opportunity to recapture our reign, but we will live with that.''<p>

''Anything is better than Jeimiña and Dastardos all over again,'' Afoti agreed.

''My thoughts exactly. Hopefully killing her will not be necessary though - we have been having very little entertainment since our banishment.''

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''I believe it is time now,'' Cueraça groaned as he laboriously rose up from his throne.

Two hours had passed since Afoti had left his recedency to go back to hers. Now it was time for the God of Death to leave the throne room too. He would open a portal to the Human World to finally seal the fate of his people, his minions, his reign and Piñata Island.


	22. Invitation

**Invitation**

''I just can't believe this.'' Ameena slowly shook her head, her eyes wet of confusion. ''A half-God? Me? I never even _noticed..._''

''You've never lived in a society where magic plays such a big role before, it's only logical that the effects haven't been noticable until now.'' Bart rested a hand on the bewildered girl's shoulder.

''But still... Even here... Nothing has ever made me feel like -''

''The amazing, dazzingly powerful creature you actually are?'' The sound of an unfamiliar, but chillingly direful voice filled the room, together with the heavy, oppressive atmosphere of Death itself.

''Cueraça!'' Bart shouted furiously as a tall, malign-looking skeleton appeared out of nowhere.

''That Is Me, Mortal,'' the deity-like thing grinned, tentacle-like shadows swirling aroundhim. ''Cueraça. The True Reaper.''

Ameena gasped when she saw that this Cueraça man - who was without a doubt a living character from the Island's folklore - was wearing the exact same mask as Dastardos did.

As Dastardos used to. Before his disappearance. Had Cueraça carried him away from Patch's operation table, that night almost a month ago, to kill him - or rather slaughter him in a nauseatingly grievous way?

''Stay back, _Raça_!'' Bart growled as he snatched Leafos' machete out of her paralyzed hands and started to wave with it like a gladiator.

''How Did You Dare To Come Here? This Is My Terrain!'' the frantic voice of Jeimiña echoed through the temple at the same time.

Cueraça sniffed. He had an amused sneer on his mask, which aroused the anger of Bart and Jeimiña even more, and made the poor Leafos start shivering for some reason.

Ameena didn't know what to make of the whole spectacle. She was fully aware that something was terribly wrong, but felt no fear or anger at all. All that really got to her was an overwhelming feeling of astonishment.

Not knowing what to do, she glanced at Gretchen. Cueraça turned out to be doing the same.

''Is There Anything _You _Have To Say To Me, Huntress? I Had Expected You To Be More Of A Talker.''

''All I have to say to _you_, God of Death, is that you'll _never _be the True Reaper...''

''Dastardos Is, According To You?'' Cueraça sighed. ''Oh, Miss Fetchem, You Have _Just _Opened Your Mouth And You Start To Bore Me Already.  
>Let Us Get To The Point. It Is Pretty Clear What I Am Here From, Not?''<p>

''We won't extradite her to _thou,_'' Bart huffed. He seemed very couragous as he stood there facing Death with only a long, rusty knife in his hand, but the way his fists were clenched around the hilt of that knife gave away his well-hidden fear.

Ameena came to the shocking realization that Cueraça was here for _her_.

''The Tinkerer is right, _Raça_,'' Gretchen hissed venomously, as she took out a long, wooden staff while approaching Death himself. ''We're willing to _die _for Ameena, keep that in mind.''

She had to do something. Her friends were putting their lifes on the line for _her_ safety...

''Please. You Two Are No Threat To Me. It Is Amusing To See How You Think You Are...'' The deity chuckled disdainfully, which Bart took as a major insult.

When Cueraça winked at him while smiling scornfully, the Tinkerer couldn't hold in his anger anymore and stormed up to the God of Death.

''No!'' Gretchen screamed while trying to hold her writhing companion back. ''Don't take that risk yet, Bart, it's not worth it!''

Bart soon understood that fighting Gretchen was pointless; her muscular arms were too strong for him to escape from.

''Just don't do stupid things,'' the Huntress whispered in his ear with that sexy, husky voice of hers.

In the meantime Cueraça has started focusing on Ameena. He gave her an approving glance, which surprised the girl just as much as it made her want to throw up. Something in his smile seemed fake and manipulative. Sly, sinister and cunning, that was how she'd describe her opponent.

All hope was not lost though.

_She _was a Goddess. Ameena knew that now. _She _was a Goddess, and, even though it was a big gamble, she stood a chance of outwitting this skeleton man if she played along with him. He clearly wanted something from her.

Would his craving - for whatever it was she possessed - work in her advantage, if she remained alert and bought no non sense from her adversary?

''You Look Incredibly Calm, Ameena. Composure. A Good Quality.''

''Thank you,'' Ameena heard herself say lightsomely. The other humans in the room gasped at her easy tone, and she could've sworn that she heard Jeimiña mumble something like: ''Damn it!'' in a dark corner of the room.

''I Can Tell By The Way You Talk That You Are A Lady After My Own Heart... Anyway, Ameena. I Am Only Here To Bring You An Offer...''

''Which she won't accept!'' Bart screamed in despair, which compelled Gretchen to cover the Tinkerer's mouth.

''Hmm, I think that I can decide that for myself... May I, Miss Fetchem?'' Ameena asked to the only mortal person in the room who hadn't completely lost it yet.

''Of course sweetheart,'' Gretchen whispered, not sounding very convincing. ''But I hope you know what you're doing...''

''Sure am!'' Ameena beamed. ''Great Cueraça... what is it you want to offer me?''

''Now _That _Is How A God Should Be Addressed!'' Cueraça grinned, pleasantly surprised by the young girl's use of decorum. ''Ameena... Will You Come With Me To The Underworld, The Neragua? Just To See How Things Are, Down There? I Promise You I Will Not Harm You. You Have My Word.''

''Hm...'' Ameena pretended she thought through if she should accept the Dark God's invitation. After some fake pondering she finally said: ''You know what? Why not. I'll come with you, but only if you let my friends in peace.''

''That Sounds Like A Deal, Goddess. I Will Leave Your Friends Alone And I Will Make Sure Nothing Happens To You On Our Trip. I Will Protect You With My Eternal Life, And I Promise Not To Harm You In Any Way.''

Ameena sucked her lower lip. She wouldn't admit it for the sake of the other people in the room, but she was quite terrified now.

Trying to outfox a deity that had been around since the ancient times was playing with fire. She wasn't even smart - she had once done an IQ test, just for fun, and she'd scored an ordinary 110.

_Don't lose courage, _she told herself in silence as the God of Death got busy creating a shadowy portal. Ameena shivered when she realized that she was about to enter the domain of what probably were the most dark beings in the universe.

Tsi's attack had been child's play - this trip to Hell with Cueraça was the real deal.

''It Is Ready.''

Ameena looked up to the portal and broke out in cold sweat. Everything behind the devilish opening was yellow, the color of hatred and enmity.

Regardless of her aversion, Ameena stepped closer to the Dark God and asked him in a tranquil, kind voice: ''When will we return? I think my friends should know when to expect me again.''

''In An Hour Or Three,'' Cueraça answered. ''Now. I Would Say Ladies First, But You Would Not Be Safe. Take My Hand. We Shall Step Through The Portal Together.''

Ameena suppressed a shudder when the skeleton enclosed her hand with his bony fingers. Before stepping into that other, more hostile world, she looked back and spoke: ''I will return. Safe and sound.''

Then, she averted her glance from her distressed friends, to leave them alone with their doubt and anxiety.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''These, Ameena, are the Fields of Agony. They belong to Afoti, your ancestor, who has created them in the distant, distant past.''

The vast void she had ended up in overwhelmed Ameena greatly. All she could see was long, dead grass moving with the wind and a blindingly yellow, cloudless horizon.

''Do you like this place?''

''No.''

No? Was she sure about that? Didn't this borderless field have its own fierce, raw charmes, she questioned herself. Wouldn't she enjoy going on a long , endless walk in this limbo, just to order her thoughts, just to discover her unknown strengths, just to lose herself?

''Shall we go somewhere else, then? There is a lot for you to see at this side of the Universe, and since we do only have a few hours...''

''No. Wait. Hold up. I think I changed my mind.''

''Yes?'' Cueraça tilted his head a little and gave her an intrigued look. ''I suppose it is true what they say. Like ancestor, like descendant.''

Ameena smiled watery. ''Perhaps. Afoti... Jeimiña told me all about her.  
>She seems dangerous, mad and troubling even, but maybe she's not as bad as she seems in Jeimiña's stories... I mean, these field aren't as bad as they seem on first sight either... They're actually quite wonderful...''<p>

''I can assure you that Afoti is ehm, quite a personality. She is busy today, unfortunately - I have asked her if she would like to meet up with you - but she could not.''

''What do Dark Gods actually do all day?'' Ameena asked as she and the skeleton she'd lost almost all her fear of made their ways through the brownish grass.

''Dark Gods? I would prefer you to call us just Gods, thank you. We are far not as bad as we seem.''

''I'm sorry,'' Ameena blushed. It sounded weird, but she'd actually started to like this deity. He seemed very friendly. ''I didn't mean to offend you...''

''No offence taken. You are just so ignorant of what this world really has to offer, and what we, the 'Dark' Gods really are about... Yet, that is okay. I will show you everything you need to know.''

''Awesome.'' Ameena smiled. Cueraça smiled back at her, the way a friendly uncle would.

''Now let us get going,'' he whispered. ''There are some other places I would like to show you today.''

''Such as?'' the girl asked, truly interested.

''That is for me to know, and for you to find out,'' the skeleton grinned as he started to make grand gestures with his emaciated arms, in order to gather the magical energy that was everywhere in the emptiness surrounding them.

''This is an easy place to create portals,'' the God whispered, as a silvery window had appeared out of thin air. ''All the magic that your ancestor put into these fields is still usable, and allows every great deity to do _grand _things with it... This portal is only a tip of the iceberg of what is possible around here.  
>If you would try here, you would be able to amazing things as well. ''<p>

With those words, Cueraça grabbed Ameena's hand to bring her to another baffling realm in the astonishing world that the Dark God considered his.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''Wow...''

''Beautiful, not?''

''Definately,'' Ameena groaned. She had an headache, and travelling to the other side of this strange universe had cost her quite some energy.

She was laying on the ground, which was seemed to be covered in unbelievably shiny pearl powder.

''You will be okay,'' Cueraça assured her, as he helped her up. ''Light pain is normal when cruising the Neragua by portal when not completely used to it yet... Even for a powerful deity like you. Or me. My head felt as if it were about to explode as well whenever I did this too much, back in the day.''

Ameena heaved a sigh and stared at the white, marble palace in the distance. It was enormous - a God worthy. Maybe even worthy _the _God.

With that thought, a question started to bother her.

''Are you alright?'' Cueraça asked in a worried tone of voice. ''Is it that bad? Do you want me to support you, can you not walk on your own?''

''That's not it,'' the girl replied vacantly. Her headache had already faded, and despite her sore limbs, she felt physically okay. ''I was just wondering... Does God exist? _The _God? I was brought up in a religious household, and I'd like to know if... If my family, and just the entire church community, were right, or if they were and still are living a twisted lie...''

Ameena shuddered audibly.

''I am not sure,'' Cueraça answered truthfully.

''But you're a God as well! Shouldn't you know Him?'' Ameena asked surprised as the deity in front of her just shrugged.

''_This _is my Universe, Ameena. I belong to the Island and the Neragua. They are located in what you mainlanders call the Bermuda Triangle, the mysterious spot in the sea where all ships and... what are they called? _Aeroplanes _disappear to.  
>A sort of magical barrier, which we call the <em>cosmos, <em>is surrounding our two worlds. I, as an ancient and unmeasurably powerful deity, cannot leave this extensive, but bounded area, therefore I cannot go to _your _world to figure out if... _that_ God exists.''

''Thanks for the explanation,'' Ameena said slightly dissappointed, but genuinely appreciating the God's commentation.

''You are more than welcome,'' he said with a warm smile. ''Now let us visit the palace ahead of us... It belongs to Bulan, the Moon God, a selfish ego I actually cannot stand.  
>He is my brother, though. Not my actual brother through genes, but we, the Neraguan Gods, are all siblings spritually speaking.''<p>

''I understand.''

Ameena squinted against the heavily reflecting sand and decided to look up instead of ahead.

The sky here was wonderful. A mega large amount of stars were glistening fairylike, which made Ameena think of a scene in the Aladdin movie she'd watched when she was younger.

Without her notice, the corner of her mouth curled up a little. The Neragua was more beautiful than she'd imagined the equivalent of Hell to be.

Could it be that this was actually heaven? That the Islanders had been lying to her, or that they just had no idea what they were talking about?

A confused, woe feeling came up in her stomach.

''Are you sure you are alright?'' Cueraça asked again, sounding more solicitously than before.

''I think so...'' Ameena looked up again and noticed something was missing.

Something crucial to every night sky.

''Where's the moon?'' she asked, slightly marvelled.

''The Neragua has no moon,'' Cueraça chuckled. ''The Island _does _have one, though. I told you who lives here, not? Bulan. The Moon God. Bulan is the moon of our Universe.''

Ameena's brows furrowed. ''In my universe, the moon's just a large piece of space rock. So here it's actually a living creatue?''

''Oh, yes,'' Cueraça grinned. ''And ironically enough, Death is one too.''

Ameena smirked uncomfortably. She didn't know what to make of that...

To bring their conversation to another subject, she let out a fake gasp and sighed: ''Wow! That Moon Palace looks amazing, from up close! It's huge! It actually reminds me of a monument we have on the mainland - it's called the Taj Mahal and it's got the same kind of cupola! Its color's pretty similar too, but even though the thing's massive, it's far not as big as Bulan's residence, I think...''

''True, it cannot be. We are hundreds of piñometers away from the building and it looks enormous already...  
>Bulan has once invited me over. Or, now that I think about it, maybe it was twice, but not much more often, the guy is not very keen on visitors for some reason.<br>However, I have visited the palace and I can recall exactly what it looked like from the inside. The ceilings were so high and the rooms were so big, that I think that my entire could have fit into only one storey of Bulan's, and my home certainly is not small either...''

Cueraça disapproivngly shook his head.

''That must be... scary, sort of,'' Ameena murmured.

''It is not that scary, but it is by no doubt inconvenient. Not only are the rooms gigantic, their walls are also made of the most glaring white materials. If I had had eyes, they would have been burnt out after that certain visit...''

''Ehm, I'm not sure if this might sound impolite - or if you want to keep it private - but ehm... How come you can actually see then?'' Ameena asked gingerly.

Cueraça shrugged. ''That is something even I do not know, yet I suppose there is a valid, biological reason I can. Now, look at this. We are standing right into the Gardens of the Palace of Bulan.''

Ameena blinked Goobaishly. She didn't see anything that suggested that anyone had gardened around here in the recent past, in fact, she saw no flora at all. ''I'm sorry, all I can see is pearl powder.''

The God of Death smiled kindly. Secretly, he found the fact Ameena couldn't see all statues, fountains and decorative ponds Bulan had installed quite alarming. It indicated her not belonging in the Neragua - only Neraguans by heart were allowed to drop an admiring eye at the Moon God's magnificent garden ornamentations, Bulan had decided after a visit of Platia's to the Underworld.

''Try harder,'' Cueraça encouraged her, ''try to see this place through the eyes of the powerful deity you are. This garden was installed for the elite. Trifling creatures - which I am sure you are not one of - are not capable of beholding so much beauty...''

In vain, Ameena tried a little harder. All she yielded from it was the return of that headache she had gained during their portal-travelling adventure...

''I'm so sorry, Cueraça,'' she said, genuinely regretful. ''I promise to make more out of my powers when I return home.''

''That is very ambitious of you,'' Cueraça gnashed, trying to hold his frustrations in. ''I appreciate such motivation. Yet, keep in mind that it took us, the Gods, hundreds of years to get where we are today, and that you will not reach our level of ability overnight, so please, do not be dissappointed if it takes a while...''

''I won't,'' Ameena said determined.

''Good. Now, has anyone ever told you how good pearl powder is for your skin?'' The serious expression on Cueraça's masked had morphed into a playful one.

''No,'' Ameena grinned. ''Why?''

''Then I will have to demonstrate to you what it is capable of!'' the God of Death answered, sniggering. ''Would you fancy a traditional, Neraguan skin treatment? All Goddesses here have a beautiful, glowy complexion... Not that many beings are privileged to see that though - my sisters are always masked when talking to their inferiors.'' Cueraça heaved a sigh. ''I am a true supporter of the holy Mask Rule, but I somehow find it tragic that so much beauty remains unseen...''

''Me too,'' Ameena admitted. ''On the mainland, we don't wear those things, you know. Not that I mind wearing one, I mean, I love mine, look at the pink Tigermisu face, it's wonderful, it's just -''

''Would you take your mask of for me?'' Cueraça interrupted her with a small hint of longing in his voice.

Ameena couldn't help but wince when she sensed that.

A unimaginably macabre-looking creature had managed to lure her to a realm she didn't know the rules of, a place in which she couldn't even perceive everything that was actually there.

Right now she was standing in a sparkling desert, and no one would hear her screams if the skeleton -

''It is not... I do not fancy girls as much younger than me as you are, let that be clear, it is just...  
>As you undoubtedly have been told, the Mask Rule of the Gods is different than that of the Revolutionists, who spread this nonsense of seeing one maskless indicates a certain level of intimacy, mostly that between the man and the woman.<br>In the Neragua, masks are, instead of a warden of purity, a symbol of status. Only the powerful ones, the sacred ones wear masks around here - yet they do show their faces to each other...  
>I see you as my equal, Ameena, perhaps less experienced, but certainly as powerful as me and any of my siblings. We should see each other's faces.''<p>

Ameena bit her lower lip. ''That contradicts the beliefs I have adopted since my short stay on the Island, but okay... Different worlds have different rules I guess, and since my entire _school_ has seen me maskless at home...  
>Why not.''<p>

The girl already began to loosen the lints that kept her mask in place during the daytime.

''I would love to take mine off too; but I must warn thou, Ameena. My face is heavily mangled and might hunt you in your nightmares... Ever seen a dried, emaciated corpse with empty eye sockets and a wizened nose? Even pearl powder cannot help _me_, I am afraid...''

''Hmm... You better keep it on then.'' Ameena gave the deity she'd started to consider a friend a smile. ''As for my face... here you go.''

Cueraça gasped. She was absolutely gorgeous - not as flawless as Afoti was, but she came closer than any other lady he'd ever seen.

The way the starlight shone upon her, together with the reflection of the glittering ground, her _chocolat noir _skin got a bluish-silver glow. Her eyelashes were longer than he had ever seen them, and her eyes were huge and blacker than coffee.

If he had been human, he would've felt as if they were staring right into his soul, but since his magical talent and wit were bigger than hers, he didn't.

''You do not need this at all, but,'' Cueraça kneeled, put a large amount of pearl powder on his scarily long scary long finger and smeared it out over the young girl's cheek ''see it as a token of my fondness. This stuff is valuable where you live.''

The girl shuddered at the deity's touch, but tried to show nothing of her tangled fear.

As long as he didn't do anything inappropriate, this whole ritual thing was alright with her.

That didn't take a way the coldness she had felt when the skeleton's fingertip had caressed her cheekbone, though. No matter how nice the creature acted, she realized, she was still dealing with an evil being.

''Thank you,'' she shuddered, as the God of Death drew his hand back.

''You look beautiful. You should see yourself...'' Cueraça reached for something in his blood red robe, which turned out to be a cupreous hand glass.

Ameena stared at her reflection in awe. It was probably rather the wonderful lighting than the ancient, Neraguan beauty treatment that was laying on her skin like white, pearly eyeshadow, but she looked absolutely stunning, like nothing she'd find in her own world or even on the Island.

''I look amazing,'' she grinnned. ''Thank you, Cueraça.''

''I am glad you like it, now put on your mask again. We have been hanging around here for too long now, two hours have passed since your arrival in the Neragua and there is one more kingdom I want to show you. Namely that of Mze, the Sun God.  
>Ready for another portal voyage?''<p>

''I guess so,'' Ameena said somewhat reluctantly as Cueraça began to gather magical energy again. She was sure she would enjoy seeing another beautiful placel, but the prospect of another headache fit slightly put her off.

''Are you ready?'' Cueraça asked after a few minutes.

''I think I am... Hey, wait. Is that a fountain, or just a fata morgana?''

''That is a fountain,'' Cueraça said, with a smile in his unearthly voice. ''And a very pretty one, not?  
>I am glad you are such a fast learner. Do you see any of the other pieces of art surrounding you - like, the statue of the archers, to name one?''<p>

''No. I'm sorry.''

''Can you not see the Centaur Twins either? They are only two meters away from the fountain.''

''I wish I could...''

''Not your fault. Now let us visit Mze's Sun City. We need to return to the Island in an hour, if not your friends will be devastated.''

''Yeah. I'm sure they're waiting for me in suspense - but y'know what? You ain't all that bad. You answered all my questions so far and you've showed me some wonderful sights.''

''Thank you.'' Cueraça cracked a smile as he grabbed Ameena's hand, which was the softest hand his undead fingers had ever touched.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

Cueraça had told Ameena that only two hours had passed since her arrival in the Neragua, but this wasn't true. Actually, they had been wandering around for the double amount of time; and the God of Death knew that.

Feigning sympathy for her friends, was just a stragety of his to gain Ameena's trust - the whole mask thing had been one too. The fact that she had seen one of Bulan's fountains was a sign his efforts had paid off okay, but they weren't nearly there yet...

''Ah!'' Cueraça clamored. ''While the sun never rises in Bulan's kingdom, the sun never sets in that of Mze. This is quite a scorching place, not? Fortunately the City is packed with buildings - so that the living can stay in the shades. And I think we should, extreme weather like this does not do my skin any good.''

Ameena eyed the city she found herself in in surprise. Everything seemed to be made of terracotta, from the small, cube-like buildings with square windows to the pavement that was as cracked as the soil of her garden had been when she had first visited it.

Asided from the terracotta, there was a lot of gold to be found on the houses too. Golden depictions of the sun adorned every door post, and every window frame seemed to be made of matte shiny brass.

''Amazing,'' she muttered as she followed Cueraça to the shades of a shed that was attached to one of the buildings' roof.

''It is,'' Cueraça agreed. ''Yet, do you not notice something strange about the City? Is there not something that - despite its glamor - makes you shudder in eeriness?''

Ameena was about to shake her head when she noticed something. At the middle of the relatively wide road they were walking on, she could see strange dark spots, that seemed to be moving autonomously

''Goodness gracious... Are they..?''

''Shadows? Yes. Shadows of those who once lived in the Village of Mze on the Island. After their death, they were transferred to this place to wander around forever, as invisible citizens with the task to serve Mze in eternity...''

''That's just disgusting,'' Ameena said as a legion of shivers went down her spine. ''It's just...''

''Cruel? Selfish? Disgusting? I cannot say I do not share those views with you, yet I do not think that the poor beings suffer much. The numbing of souls occurs quite fast after departure fron the body, when not sent to paradise.  
>A soul usually stays intact for two weeks, if it does not receive stimula. After this short period of time, it just dies, mostly to never be brought alive again...''<p>

Ameena's stomach turned.

''Tha-that's sad,'' she stuttered. ''It just really is sad, the stuff Mze does to his subjects. Is there anything you can do to stop him?''

''I am afraid not,'' Cueraça said in a sepulchral voice as the two had reached a three-way at the end of the street. ''Mze is the most powerful God in the entire Universe, you should keep that in mind. Would you like to visit his palace with me? He has been waiting to meet you ever since he heard about you being a young, powerful descendant!''

Ameena angrily kicked a pebble away. ''Why would I want to talk to a man like _that_?''

''Because he is not an ordinary man! He is Mze, the most important God in the entire -''

''Neragua! Hmph! Believe me, I can tell already that I will _not _like Mze.''

''He is friendly as a person!'' Cueraça pleaded. He really started to regret showing Ameena the shadows roaming through the City - they probably would've been better off if he'd opened a portal that lead directly to the Sun Palace. ''Give him a chance. Just a few minutes. He will adore you, I am sure, and you will love him too...''

''No,'' the girl refused stubbornly. ''I won't come with you. Bring me home.  
>I like you, Cueraça, but why do you think I'd ever love such a misbegotten being as Mze?''<p>

''He genuinely is a good man. Those sould are not in pain. Now, let me take you to a palace more beautiful than Bulan's...'' Cueraça tried in a last attempt to make Ameena change her mind.

Her response was not what he had wished for, but certainly what he'd expected and feared after his little misstep with the shadows.

''No. I can't. This whole Neragua thing,'' her voice started to tremble, as if she were about to burst out in tears. ''I... I appreciate everything... The sight-seeing was awesome, Cueraça, but I don't think I belong here.  
>Create a portal to the Island and never bring me to this <em>fantastic <em>world where... I just will never feel home again.''


	23. Foes, Not Friends

**Foes, Not Friends**

_''Again... Again... Again...'' _it echoed through the greyish void between the Neragua and the Island as Cueraça and Ameena made their way back to what the latter now would permanently call home.

Cueraça was furious. He had tried the best he could to court that stupid kid of an Ameena, yet she'd rejected his request to visit Mze. As if her not wanting to meet the God of All Gods wasn't bad enough already, she'd also insisted on him bringing her home right away.

She didn't want to be involved with the misdeeds of malicious creatures, she'd told him.

Apparently, the Religious Rollback would never see life.

The portal to the Island finally opened after what had seemed like half an hour travelling through emptiness - though it couldn't have been more than fifteen seconds. A vast expanse of sand came in sight and Cueraça released his tight grip of Ameena.

The girl was pushed up by some strange force and got launched at least five meters up in the air to be thrown down in the concrete, cold sand.

She landed flat on her belly and for a moment, it felt as if all oxygen was being pressed out of her lungs. She tried to gasp, but her ribs felt as if broken. Breathing was almost too painful.

Using her last strenghts, Ameena managed to roll and sit on her rumps. She could see the God of Death now. A devilish, sinister-looking green light had appeared in his empty orbits, and a vicious chuckle thundered through the air as the enormous skeleton slowly approached her.

Out of defense, the girl pulled her legs up and groaned when her tighs touched her aching stomach. Tears burnt in the eyes as the girl quietly wheezed: ''Please. Please, Cueraça, don't hurt me...''

The deity's mask furrowed in a grin, as its wearer said: ''Ameena! I told you I would not hurt you, and I am a man of my word! Why do you always doubt the intentions of the Gods?''

''I-I...'' She didn't even know _what _to say anymore.

The God had just sworn not to hurt her, yet he looked more imminent and cold than she'd ever seen him during their short friendship. Whatever he told her, he was upto something, something bad, that was for sure.

She should've known, but during their trip through the Neragua, she'd started to trust Cueraça. Feeling her faith in him falling apart hurted more than her bruised ribs and painful lungs.

''You...''

''Do not worry, Ameena! I will leave you in one piece, despite you being a filthy, despicable little rat...'' Cueraça huffed.

Ameena felt her heart break. ''I thought we were friends...'' she sighed. ''I genuinely thought that, despite you being an evil, malicious taker of souls...''

''Well, that was _very _stupid of you to think then!'' the God of Death grinned as he feasted off Ameena's aghast grimace. ''I am _glad _you are not on our side,'' he added to make the girl feel even worse. ''You are mentally retarded, dumb, sugercoated, naive and ignorant. How could I even _think _you would be one of us? Ha.  
>Afoti was right. You were a lost case from the start. Thou, Ameena, are a <em>trainwreck! <em>You do not have a future, neither a past, you are a softy! You will never put your amazing, enviable powers into practice...  
>By rejecting the place I offered you among the Gods, in the Neragua, you have ruined your future.''<p>

The look on the deity's mask had become bloodthirsty, malevolent and just frightening. The grin he wore as he conjured up a scythe predicted no good.

''A-are... are you going to kill me?'' the upset girl asked in a small voice. ''P-please...''

''As I have told you before, STUPID, I will not even touch you!'' Cueraça undead voice clamored through the entire Dessert Desert.

When the sound of rage had faded, and only the sound of fear - Ameena's shuddering - was audible in Piñata Island's biggest sandbox, Cueraça added, in a shrew, keen tone: ''... Fortunately I know someone who is more than happy to take care of you, _Goddess of Denseness..._''

Ameena's spine froze. ''Who?'' she asked, her troat almost too dry to talk.

''Someone you told me you wanted to meet... _Afoti Abeçu._''

Ameena couldn't believe it. ''Afoti Abeçu?'' Her own ancestor? Would she be killed by her own ancestor?

''Yes, the lovely Afoti. She should have been here by now... I hope she has not forgotten her little festive meal... I hope your blood is salty, Ameena. Afoti is dote on salty blood...''

Even before the God of Death could finish his sentence, a yellow portal appeared and Ameena knew all too well what that meant.

A thin, bronze Goddess wearing the most terrifying Sarsgorilla mask _ever, _stepped out of it. ''Hello Ameena!'' she sneered in a voice that could have been sweet if it hadn't sounded so bitter.

''Afoti...'' Ameena choked.

''I have been watching you,'' the deity snorted. ''It was boring.''

''For how long?'' Ameena asked flabbergasted.

''Long enough to know you are not from the same mold as my siblings and I. I told Cueraça about you being no good before he went on that ridiculous tour through the Neragua with you, let that be clear. While he cared enough to give you a try, I have never believed in you, Ameena. You are a waste of flesh and magic.'' The Goddess spat on the ground. ''It might be better if I take the first from you...''

_I really end up eaten by a screw loose deity? _Ameena thought in despair. _That's not exactly how I wanted to see it end..._

''Listen, Afoti,'' she brought herself to to say. ''You can have my magic if you want. But not my flesh. I don't want to die yet!''

''How dare you to dispute with me?'' Afoti sputtered. ''I could not care less about what _you _want, no-good. If I could, I would have taken your magic a long time ago, but no God in the Universe is powerful enough to do such a thing.  
>You will die tonight, that is just how it is, I will devour your flesh while Cueraça will feast on your soul...''<p>

''That is true,'' the skeleton man agreed.

''Now... let us knit an end to this,'' Afoti grumbled. ''I like my meat roasted!''

Ameena could dodge a well-aimed ball of fire right on time. She gasped when she saw Afoti reloading her energy.

''Please,'' she begged the older woman. ''I don't -''

''You should be grateful, baby girl,'' Afoti mocked. ''I could think up _many_ more painful ways for you to die...''

With those words, she released another sphere of flames which was even harder to evade. Ameena felt something scorching just past her tigh.

''This ain't right...'' she cried.

''Correction: this ain't dodgeball. Do not try to avoid my firey friends, you only make your suffering and terror last longer...''

For a moment, Ameena considered following up the Goddess' advice and just jump in front of a fireball. It'd be over sooner. What was the point of wasting time like this? It wasn't like, a team of heroes would mysteriously appear out of nowhere to safe her from these merciless monsters...

''Pshh, Ameena!'' the girl suddenly heard.

''Hm?'' She had never heard that voice before, but it sounded friendly. Reliable.

_Oh, great, they're playing mind games with me now... _she thought aggrievedly. Had she ever done anything so bad she deserved this ending, not even being able to trust her own brain anymore? No...

Suddenly, a gigantic Sherbat flew over Afoti's head, to flutter in front of Ameena's face as if to protect her. Was that coincidence, or..?

''I, am the powerful Kelele Chief Chamkele!'' the huge piñata exclaimed in the voice that apparently wasn't made up by Ameena herself.

''Idiotic bat!'' Afoti huffed. ''Do you not know that interfering with the business of the Gods is a deathwish?''

''You two are not the True Gods, even though you like to call yourself that!'' the purple Sherbat snapped. ''Only Jeimiña, Suelos, Platia, Dastardos -''

''For once I agree with me winged friend,'' another, smug voice sounded.

Afoti and Cueraça turned their heads to see a short, thin emaciated stature float a few centimeters above a small dune. It was slightly overgrown by weeds and wild flowers, which indicated an oasis being nearby.

''Dastardos!'' Cueraça growled.

_Dastardos? _Ameena thought in awe. The bat was obviously on her side and the piñata reaper had just called him his friend, so despite what Dastardos' body had tried to do to her that traumatizing night a few months ago, she could probably consider him an ally this time around. After all, it hadn't been Dastardos' intention to kill her, he'd been possessed by a savage demon originating from the place where these monsterous Gods came from and where she would have wanted to stay if she hadn't heard the horrifying tale of Mze's shadows... The Neragua.

''That's me, Dastardos, the taker of piñata souls!'' The reaper gave his predecessor a scornful smile. Then, he let his smile fade to make place for a serious frown and said: ''You didn't bring Ameena home before sundown, as you promised, _Raça_. That was a very stupid thing of you.''

''Was it?'' Cueraça jeered. ''Truly? I am the Almighty God of Death, you are just a caricature of me - a rip-off! - therefore there is nothing you can -''

''Ey, just giving you advice, Thy Almighty.'' Dastardos shrugged mockingly. ''I'm _sure _you were aware already, but special forces is making their way to _this _specific place in the desert...''

The news filled Ameena with relief. She would return home, safely, breathing and in one piece.

Her falicitation didn't last long, though. It had cost the Gods some time to fully realize what Dastardos had just told them, but when they came to their senses again, they burst out in cackling laughter.

''An army of Revolutionists does not mean _anything _to us,'' Cueraça hissed, sounding slightly amused. ''They might cause some delay, but trust me, we can take them on_ easily_.''

''Indeed,'' Afoti added, ''this _does _mean we have to slay the little bitch before those blunderheads arrive, though. I want to see the devastated expressions on their masks when they see their fairy princess convulse in a puddle of blood...''

Another ball of fire was shot in Ameena's direction, which meant the resumption of what would turn out to be one of the most epic battles in Piñata Island's history.


	24. Battlefield

**Battlefield**

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Jardineiro grumbled. Someone was knocking on the back door... It probably was Leafos, who should've been home by this time of day already, and if she'd still been a minor he would've grounded her for two weeks for letting him have dinner by himself.

Leafos could be such an egoistic girl from time to time... She knew he didn't expect any guests today, and she also knew he always felt lonely around dinnertime.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!

The knocks on the door became more violent, panicky almost.

''Sure Leafos,'' Jardineiro muttered. ''That girl doesn't care about her poor old father, but when she gets afraid of the nocturnal shadows, I have to serve her needs immediately and open the door ASAP! Hmph...''

Suddenly, her smothered voice sounded from the other side of the woodwork. ''Daddy! Please! Let me in! Afoti and Cueraça...''

''Argh, she must be drunk... ''

''Daddy!'' the girl screamed again, more shrill now.

''ALRIGHT!'' Jardineiro shouted back. ''Coming, jeez... Please respect the neighbours' rest...''

The closest neighbours lived half a kilometer ahead, in the Village, yet Jardineiro thought his daughter's outcries were audible around there.

With an annoyed sigh, Jardineiro opened the door.

''Daddy!'' his daughter said, her mask wet with tears, ''something terrible has happened... P-put on something warm, and -''

''What in the world is going on? Are you in your right mind or -''

''They have Ameena.'' The girl shivered. ''Afoti and Cueraça. They are trying to kill her right this moment... Jeimiña, yes dad, _the _Jeimiña, is trying to give rise to the other Young Gods and Bart's told me to get you to the battlefield immediately... I don't know what he's thinking, but he said it was important that you'd come and -''

''No worry, I'll come. I think I know enough.''

''But -''

''It's dangerous, bladeebladeebla, I know! I'm an old man, Leafos. I've lived a full life. If I must die to safe a young girl tonight, so be it. I'd rather die as a hero in a fight with malicious deities, than as a random elderly guy with a pneumonia.  
>Can you even imagine how much more Legendary I'd become? Hah, I wouldn't wanna miss out on that... You don't get the chance to kick some Old God's ass everyday, either...''<p>

''So... you go?'' Leafos asked, slightly surprised by her father's courageous little speech.

''Yes!'' Jardineiro practically cheered. ''How about you?''

''I have to be present, in case anyone gets hurt and needs nursing,'' Leafos said, her eyes full of fear. ''We can't reach Doc Patch...''

''No wonder, that douche's no good!'' Her father rolled his eyes. ''He's one big Flossy! Now, jump on my wheelchair, my brave daughter. It's got a turbo mode. Have you alerted Storkos yet?''

Right when Leafos wanted to tell her dad Storkos was on a egg delivering mission on the other side of the Island, the wheelchair she was standing on the footstool of, lunged forward with 120 miles per hour.

''Jardineiro to the rescue!" she believed she heard her father exclaim, which made her realize whom Storkos had inherited her 'supahero genes' from.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''Let it be quick and painless,'' Ameena prayed to the only God she considered True at that specific moment, knowing that even _that _God wouldn't be able to safe her. She had made herself as small as she could as was hiding behind a one-meter high desert rock. Afoti was still furious, which she expressed by shooting firey spheres in the girls' direction.

''Shh. It is not over yet,'' Chamkele whispered in his slightly unnatural sonar voice as he perched on her shoulder. ''There still is hope.''

Ameena started to sob. ''No there isn't!'' she cried. ''It's over, it's -''

''Aha, _there _you are!'' Afoti grimaced and tried to create another bullet of fire, when something that looked like a thunderbolt appeared from the direction of Ameena's garden.

''Jardineiro...'' Ameena could've sworn she heard Dastardos mutter, and when the object came to a standstill a few seconds later, the reaper was proved right. Much to Ameena's surprise, Leafos was there too, her mask pale and her knees buckling as she stared at Afoti and Cueraça.

''Hmph,'' the latter huffed. ''An old, retired gardener and his craven daughter are no threat to _us..._''

''Oh, but we're not the only opponents you will meet tonight, _Raça,_'' Jardineiro chuckled sardonically. ''The Gods that _I _call true are on their ways. Jeimiña is evoking them in her rainforest temple at the very moment.''

''You fool.'' It was Cueraça's turn to snigger scornfully now. ''Has it ever crossed your mind that we, The Greatest of Gods, have taken precautions? It is impossible for Jeimiña to contact Platia, Suelos or whoever. We have shut down her so-called 'channels of light' for the entire night. The only ones that can invoke reinforcement are We, and We will get it in about three... two -''

Before Cueraça was even finished counting, a lava-colored and a silver portal appeared next to each other.

Sweat began to drip down Dastardos' forehead. He knew who were about to arrive and found the prospect of battling them with only Ameena as his fellow half-God quite alarming...

Ameena thought she'd lose it when she saw who stepped out of the omnious portals.

Bulan, the barbarous yet refined God of the Moon, and a lady that was likely Terah, a thin, barefooted creature that was the former Goddess of Soil...

''Damn!'' Ameena sent a frightened cry into the world.

''Indeed. You are damned,'' Cueraça said with a content smile. ''You _all _are damned.''

''I wouldn't be so self-assured if I were you!'' Jardineiro pointed at two small dots that were quickly nearing the battlefield. They came from the direction of the rainforest.

''Bart and Gretchen!'' Chamkele practically cheered. ''I knew they would come!''

''Thanks for relying so much on us, BigBat,'' Gretchen panted as she'd come within hearing distance. ''By the way, _look _at you... You'd be quite a hunting trophy...''

She winked at Chamkele, which made the dark purple confetti on his cheeks turn a deep shade of red. ''Oh, why... thanks...''

''I have seen enough of this nonsense!'' a tart voice sounded.

Terah giggled venomously and used her magical capabilities to pull a pricklebush from a desert dune without having to touch it. It always was a pleasure to launch an incredibly painful bywork to a human.

All of a sudden, the deity discontinued her assault. Bart and Gretchen immediately took advantage of this. They took out their weapons - which turned out to be a long saber for the tinkerer and a lightweight shotgun for the huntress - and screamed incohesive threats at Bulan, who was approaching them imminently now.

The thing that had caught Terah's attention was scooting upto the soont-to-be-murder-scene, heavily panting carrying a big, rusty shovel.

''Seedossss...'' Terah hissed evilly.

''That's me.'' The seed boy chuckled nervously.

''Seedos! I'm so glad you came! A little surprised too, I must admit...'' Bart frowned, waved his saber at the still approaching Bulan again and then asked: ''How did you know that we're in tr... are having slight difficulties handling the situation?''

''My seeds told me so,'' Seedos simply answered. ''They told me to come armed too.''

He gave his spade a proud pat.

''I will show you what to do with that spade,'' Terah cried out, storming upon her new target while a red haze was hindering her sight. Seedos' mention of the seeds had aroused her rage. She couldn't stand the blue-haired kid.

Before Seedos' second birthday, the seeds had always obeyed _her, _and seeing her precious babies getting adopted by a foreign daddy really crippled her rotten heart.

''You will see...''

The tall Goddess tried to trick out the shorter boy's shovel, but Seedos made an unexpectingly slick move and kept his only weapon out of the hands of his opponent. To top that off, he used the weatherworn gardening tool to thrust Terah right in the liver.

That would've been a huge disgrace to the deity if her fellow Gods had been watching, but luckily for her they'd gotten tied up in fights as well now.

With a distorted grin on her orange, bird of paradise-flower-representing mask, the terrifying Goddess spit some disturbingly red blood out.

''Want to play rough?'' she panted. ''You will get rough...''

From the place in the sand her blood had just stained, an enormous, monsterous-looking poison ivy arose.

It grew faster than Seedos had ever seen a plant grow, and despite it being a weed, the plant looked absolutely amazing. The seed boy could just hold in the urge to touch its poisonous leaves and caress the masterpiece...

Terah growled. Apparently, not everything went as desired for her...

Seedos couldn't see the problem at first - the woman had grown the most awesome plant he'd ever seen in wee seconds - but then he realized that the gigantic plant was supposed to kill him...

''Yes! Yes, good boy!'' Terah lunatically screamed as the weed bowed towards Seedos.

''No, not a good boy!'' Seedos thoughtlessly said, and to the surprise of both the seed-lovers, the plant backed off again. ''It's not okay to attack people. And she's a girl, anyway...''

''You...'' The Goddess of Soil started to make the most franctic gestures as the seed whisperer continued talking to the colossal plant.

''You don't _have _to obey her if you don't want to, Ivy.'' The plant made an odd neighing noise. ''I know being slavishly is not in your nature... Yes... Yes, of course, we can have a chat whenever you want! I'm not so good at small talk, though...''

In the meantime, only a few meters away from the ridiculous scene with the plant, the two reapers were standing mask to identical mask.

''How nice it is to finally meet my... what should I even call you?''

''Your swagger jacker?'' Dastardos asked innocently.

''Hmph,'' the Old God sniffed. ''The way the youth talks nowadays... It is all abracadabra to me!''

''Shall I show you some real abracadabra?'' Dastardos couldn't help but smile misschievously. He wasn't afraid of Cueraça. He had taken over his profession a long time ago and he hadn't felt any serious consequences so far.

Cueraça's powers solely consisted of the ability to reap the soul out of one's body, which only applied on mortals. He couldn't take anything of a guy that was capable of doing the exact same thing!

Dastardos had more powers apart from reaping, though, and he knew that those would prove handy now that he was being confronted with his very worst enemy.

The half-God took a deep breath, floated up a little higher and lifted his head at the direction of the ink black sky. His eyes rolled away, and now that only the whites were seen, his good eye started to ressemble his bad one.

''What do you think -''

Cueraça fell silent again. A seemingly magical field of sparks had gathered around Dastardos. What they did, consisted of and came from were for Dastardos to know and for Cueraça to guess...

The God of Death gulped. The young cub he'd always considered subordinate to him, seemed to possess something so out of both the Universe's worlds...

All Cueraça could think of was how bad he wanted to possess that strange power too.

''This is something my... _corruption _has given me...'' the piñata reaper whispered hoarsely when the strange magical reaction had faded away. He was still glowing as he slowly descended, aborting his landing when his mask was at about the same height as Cueraça's.

''Interesting,'' the older deity admitted. ''Ve-ry interesting... But not efficient enough to kill or even hurt me, I am afraid... You might try, though. Go ahead.''

Only a split second later, a set of damask red sparks were fired into Cueraça's direction. By semi-nonchalantly turning his torso away, the God of Death succesfully avoided the hot plasma or whatever it was, which prevented him from ending up as a set of disjointed bones.

He moved his face closer to Dastardos'. ''Dissappointed you will not see me scattered around the field tonight?'' he jeered. He grinned hatefully and then he quickly drew in his scythe, a deadly move that could even smart Dastardos.

Much to Cueraça's annoyance, he _just _missed the smaller and quicker guy, whose turn it was to crack a scornful smile now. ''You won't win this with a silly cutting tool, God of the Mowing Process'' he assured his enemy in a sugary voice.

''I think I will, actually'' Cueraça said thoughtfully. ''I could at least try to...''

With those words, he lashed out at Dastardos again, their long awaited duel continuing, both reapers having equally much potential to win from their adversary.

The fight between Afoti and her opponents was a whole lot less likely to end well for the mortal side, though. Ameena and Gretchen - both sweating profusely - were still dodging the Godess' all-destroying balls of fire.

''Give it up, ladies, for I, the Goddess Afoti, will not give in...''

''Gretchen, we need to make a plan,'' Ameena wheezed as they timorously hid behind a six-flowered cactus.

''Tell me about it!'' the huntress sighed. She had left Bart behind with Bulan when she noticed how Ameena was anxiously attempting to dodge the deity's attacks.  
>Luckily, Jardineiro had been wanting to take her place next to the Tinkerer - the two men now were fighting the Moon God side by side at the center of the battleground.<p>

The two women had already tried to shoot the Goddess with Gretchen's shotgun, but Afoti had just jerked the bullet out of her leg while cackling as if nothing had happened.

The place in her tigh the bullet had hit her didn't bleed - there was nothing to be seen that even indicated a wound of some sort.

'Human weapons do not scathe me, _idiots,_' she had told her baffled attackers, whose legs had started to shake uncontrollably. 'Yet I know they can harm _you..._'

Wearing a spiteful smile on her Sarsgorrila mask, the Goddess threw the bullet back. The projectile reached such a high speed it had the same impact as if fired out of a gun, if not bigger.

''If we only knew one of her weaknesses...''

''I doubt if she has any,'' Gretchen grumbled as the cactus they hid behind ignited in flames.

''Of course she has!'' Ameena gasped as the two sprinted to the next cactus. ''_Everyone _has weaknesses...''

''She's not a someone, she's a _something_,'' Gretchen answered in her normal voice. She was in a much better physical condition than Ameena, or than pretty much anyone on the Island. ''I mean, she practices _cannibalism..._''

''You've got a point...'' Ameena murmured. Then, she threw herself on the ground to evade another firey sphere. ''I guess we won't live to see another sunrise then...''

The mirthless depth of what she'd just said didn't even fully get through to Ameena. Before she could ponder about what she would've wanted to tell her family and the people who were risking their lives on the battlefield for her now, Gretchen sighed: ''Never say never. Let's just hope that we can parry her attacks for a little longer - eventually, someone more magically talented might come and help us...''

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

Even though all Villagers and half-Gods were stubbornly fighting against the death the Old Deities were more than willing to grant them, that what would determine the battle's outcome happened at the middle of the field, where Bart and Jardineiro were taking on Bulan.

Although the two guvs usually didn't get along that well during everyday life, they were a golden match in combat. They both possessed a power they must've inherited from a long-forgotten forefather - who likely wasn't a God from the Island at all, but rather a Celtic druid or an old-English magician. Jardineiro and Bart both had roots in the what's called the United Kingdom nowadays.

The magical talent that was given them, was the fine art of telekinesis, the might to move objects with the mind. They both hadn't praciced their powers in a while, but with all the magic in the air the Gods had brought from the Neragua and the frightening sight of those macabre Gods themselves, both men knew that the chances of executing their ablities well were pretty high.

The problem wasn't potency. It was the fact that the two couldn't consult with each other without Bulan overhearing the stragety that was supposed to bring his downfall.

The Moon God roared monsterously. He had just used his divine powers to cause a sandstorm, which left the old Jardineiro who hadn't been quick enough to put a scarf around his mask having the worst coughing fit.

Bulan grinned complacently. He would win this stupid fight against those trifling mortals, he was sure.

Those men had seen their better days, while he, the powerful deity of the moon was still in the prime of his life.

''I... will...'' Cough, cough. ''... revenge...''

The Moon God let out an amused chuckle.

''Don't waste your breath on that despicable creature,'' Bart told Jardineiro. He had hurried towards the retired gardener to give him some necessary pats on the back, while scowling at the evil deity. ''You don't want a scurry of dust to kill you, right? Would you grant that scumbag such pleasure?''

Jardineiro shook his head as he continued coughing, and Bart saw a chance to unnotedly discuss a plan with his ally.

''Jardineiro,'' he whispered in the ex-gardener's ear as he pretended to rub the old man's shoulder. ''Any idea how we could defeat this fat, horrid, Neraguan thing?''

''Te... lekinesis...'' Jardineiro wheezed quietly.

''Yes, of course... but what could we do with it? I don't see anything around here heavy enough to harm him or his malicious siblings...''

''L-leafos...''

''Leafos?''

Jardineiro broke out in coughing again. The sandstorm hadn't done his lungs much good - that idiot of a Bulan probably was more cunning than he seemed.

''Leafos what?'' Bart asked again, more compelling this time. ''What about Leafos?''

''The other day... she told me... about... comet...''

''Oh! Yes. Of course.''

Leafos wasn't the only Villager who had heart for astronomy. Bart the Tinkerer enjoyed keeping track of astronomical activity through a telescope just as much as Jardineiro's daughter. He hadn't kept up with his hobby in a while, though - since that night he'd fled to Jeimiña's temple, he'd been so busy that he hadn't even dedicated a single _thought_ to the stars.

Yet, he could recall a discovery he'd done about a month ago. According to his observations and calculations, a comet would fly extremely close by the Bermuda Triangle some day at the end of May. That discovery had delighted him very much - other than his annual firework shows at New Year's Eve, good light shows were very rare on Piñata Island!

''There...'' Jardineiro raucously whispered, as he pointed up at the now moonless sky.

''Where?'' Bart asked bewilderedly. ''Oh... That's... that's perfect timing...'' An enourmous, orange object with a long, firey tail flashed by. ''That must be Jeimiña's work, I'm sure -''

''Hurry up...'' Jardineiro gasped, ''gather the forces and... concentrate...''

Bart quickly did what the older man told him to. First he collected all telekinesis powers he had within him, and then, broken out in sweat, he fixated his glance on the glowing space rock.

''Faster,'' Jardinerio whispered.  
>The old man proved to be a very skilled magician as well as a gardener. He'd already lifted his hands up in the air, ready for what telekinesians the 'dragging' process. ''We don't want that creature to catch us - where is he anyway? He was supposed to throw a second attack at us a long, long time ago...''<p>

''I guess we bored him,'' Bart sniggered bitterly. ''I just hope he's not trying to find amusement in one of the kids - Bulan's a hazardous opponent...''

''I agree,'' a gruesome voice affirmed from out of the blue.

Bart needed great self-control to not avert his glance from the nightsky. Who knew what great attack Bulan was planning to tackle them?

''Just... concentrate... a little harder...'' Jardineiro said as sweat was pouring down his back. ''We're almost... there. Gravity... will do the... re-''

Jardineiro heaved a beatific sigh before finishing that last word.

''Meteor impact, everyone!'' he shouted as loudly as his sore lungs and throat allowed him to. ''Find shelter! Find...''

From that moment, all hell broke loose.

Bulan tried to strangle Jardineiro with his cast iron muscles. ''YOU!'' he thunered. ''YOU WILL NOT GET AWAY WITH THIS...''

Cueraça, who'd already opened a portal to the Underworld, could not live with the idea of the Universe being ruled by the good for another period of time, and shouted something at Afoti in the ancient language of the Gods.

It must've been something within the meaning of, '_finish her, you will not rest as long as that despicable thing is still breathing_', because Afoti fired another range of fire bullets at the Tigermisu-masked girl.

''Help!'' Ameena screamed. She looked around for Gretchen, but saw that she was trying to rescue Jardineiro from Bulan's deadly grip, together with Bart and Leafos.

There were still some other fighters on the field left to help her. She was pretty surprised about _who _chose to do so, though.

''Afoti!'' The scoffing, but more than welcome voice Dastardos came within Ameena's hearing distance. ''Hasn't anyone told you that it's pretty morally wrong to kill your grandchildren, granny Fot?''

''Dastardos!'' Afoti growled. She was about to throw one of her notorious fire balls at the piñata reaper, when a deadly series of red sparks was shot into her direction.

''Hurry up, Ameena, we don't have much time!" the reaper shouted over Afoti's pained, despairing cries.

Not a single of his shots missed the deity. Even though her attacks were more powerful, she was far not as dexterous in dodging stuff as her brother Cueraça was.

''I...'' Ameena gasped. In her mortal fear she'd forgotten about her painful ribs, but now that she saw the Dark Goddess perish and convulse on the ground, all the adrenaline that had alleviated the pain before slipped away.

''Move it!'' The reaper nervously looked up. The sky had turned a deep shade of orange and the temperature had rosen with quite a few degrees as well. It wouldn't be long until the meteor would collide with the earth, at full force.

If they wouldn't manage to get away as far as possible within twenty seconds, they'd still die a horrible death.

Dastardos clucked his tongue as he saw Ameena was in intense pain. ''Okay 'Meena, this is gonna kill my back, but hey... I'm not as much of a jerk as Cueraça...''

With those words, the piñata reaper picked Ameena up, to float away from the battlefield as fast as his burden would allow him.

The cold touch of the undead man's emaciated skin made the girl shiver at first, but that little discomfort was suppressed by a feeling of immense gratitude.

''Thank you,'' she softly whispered.

''That's alright,'' the reaper told her. ''Someone's told me you've been to the Neragua today, ay? Damn girl, you must be exhausted.''

Now that she thought about it... she actually was.

Not much later, the half-Goddess that had been an ordinary girl only nineteen hours ago, fell asleep in the arms of an undead man she'd once feared.


	25. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

''S-so... Ameena...''

It was the day after the battle. The sun was pouring through the white room's thin, cream coloured curtains, and Ameena lied in the only bed of Patch's clinic.

The one Dastardos had risen from on a gloomy morning a few months ago.

''Your... i-inj-juries t-turn out n-not to be as b-bad as they seemed a-at first...'' Patch gulped as the beautiful, maskless girl he'd had a crush on forever diverted her glance from her Alert to look him straight in the eyes. ''Y-y-your ribs are o-only bruised, they a-aren't broken,'' Patch continued hastily.

Love had a strange effect on his already weird way of speaking, he realized. It caused him to either forget what he wanted to say or talk really fast.

''I'm glad to hear that,'' Ameena said in her incredibly, incredibly sweet voice. ''Any idea when I can return home again?''

Patch could just prevent himself from telling her he didn't want her to leave anytime soon. The truth was, that she'd be ready to return home in a few hours, though.

''You could g-go this a-a-a-fternoon if y-you take enough rest...'' He could only hope he hadn't sounded as sad as he felt at the thought of her leaving so fast. ''D-don't overwork yourself i-in the garden...''

''I won't, Patchie.'' A warm smile spread across the girl's Tigermisu mask. ''Darn, an awful load of weird stuff went down yesterday!''

''I've s-seen some a-articles in the Islander D-daily,'' Patch grinned, ''b-but those are far n-not as sh-shocking as the t-tales Bart t-told me tonight...  
>I-I can't b-believe Cueraça an-and his f-fellow Gods are real... I've a-always been a Christian, e-even though I enjoy l-learning about th-the Island's folklore...''<p>

''It's strange indeed,'' Ameena nodded. ''The one thing that stunned me the most was... well... did Bart tell you..?''

''A-about _y-you _being a G-g-goddess?'' Patch stuttered Goobaishly.

''Exactly that.'' Ameena bit her lower lip and looked at her Alert again. ''_Half_-Goddess, actually. A descendant of Afoti.''

''W-well...'' A red flush appeared on Patch's blue monkey helmet. ''I-I wasn't too surprised about y-you be-be-being a Goddess...''

Ameena looked up and felt an army of Flutterscotches rush through her stomach when her dark brown eyes crossed Doc Patchingo's blue ones.

Patch's heart skipped a beat and his mouth became too dry to add: ''You certainly look like one,'' as he'd wanted to.

Fortunately for him, Ameena broke the tense stillness by slightly shifting the subject. ''Ehm... Thanks! I must say I'm surprised everyone's survived the battle without getting severely wounded...''

''I'm glad they have, though! I w-wouldn't have e-enough beds if...''

Another, even more awkward silence followed. Neither of the two had anything uplifting to say, nor did they feel like reviewing the vagarious events that had occured the night before.

To Ameena, a lot of those were vague anyway. She had received an enormous amount of Alerts asking her is she were alright. _I'm fine_, she'd replied to every single one of them, _but how are you? _She had no idea what happened after the meteor impact...

''I as-assume some of y-your friends will want to v-visit you today?'' Patch asked, just to say _something_.

''Oh, ehm, yes. Leafos and Seedos are planning to come in an hour or two. Bart and Gretchen are back to work already, Jardineiro's sleeping in and God knows where Dastardos and that purple, mysterious -''

''W-wait! D-dastardos?'' Patch asked, pretty much in awe.

''Yes he... sort of saved my life...'' Ameena chuckled. ''Didn't Bart tell you? I find it odd as well, but he's actually pretty friendly! And other than his name suggests, he's not a dastard at all - he showed great bravery yesterday...''

Patch incredulously shook his head. ''I-I've always h-hoped so, but I'd n-n-never expected the r-reaper to have something good in him! He m-mostly is unbelievably r-rude to me when I encounte-ter him near a s-sick piñata... I guess it's j-just because our professions clash in a, in a way...''

''Probably.'' Ameena smiled. The way Doc Patchingo spoke about the undead man that should've been his archemeny deeply endeared her.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''Hey.''

''Hi, Leafos, Seedos!'' Ameena immediately put the book she'd been reading away when she spotted her friends at the foot of her bed. Patch had hasted himself to a garden not far away from the desert, apparently, work went on for Dastardos.

Ameena was happy she could assume that the piñata reaper was alive...If that was the right designation for his condition.

''Are you alright? How's your father?'' she asked the siblings elatedly. She was delighted to have company.

''Jardineiro's fine,'' Seedos answered sulkily.

He knew that it was wrong, but he couldn't help but be dissappointed that his dad hadn't fallen in the battle. Instead, he'd managed to save everyone's lives, including _his_!

''_Fortunately _he's doing well,'' Leafos added, scowling at her younger brother. ''So are we. Gretchen has a few light burns, but she says she's used to worse things. We don't know about Dastardos or the Kelele bat, but as far as I'm concerned, they're in good health.''

''Dastardos certainly is... I think he's sneering at Patch right this moment,'' Ameena giggled.

Leafos sighed, shaking her head amusedly. Sometimes, Dastardos' cocky comments reminded her of someone she'd known in the past... Someone she still missed nowadays, but didn't mourn over anymore.

Someone she sometimes felt was still with her.

''Fannie gave us a letter for you, Ameena. I'm sorry if it's already opened, you know how she is.'' Seedos made a face.

''Sure do!'' Ameena flew up. ''Who's the letter from? My...''

''Your family? Yes.''

The boy handed the obviously resealed enveloppe over to his friend, and held his breath as he watched her read.

Ameena's eyes widened a little when she saw the name on the envelope. Alyssa Kwabena. How long hadn't she heard from her mother, who was always too caught up in her hectic job and daily life to write?

**'Dearest Ameena,' **a neat, perfectly legible handwriting read.

Ameena chuckled. Atsou sure hadn't inherited their mother's pretty longhand.

**'I'm sorry for not taking the time to write you personally over the past three months. It's been busy at the bank. Believe me when I say that I missed you very much, though, I've read all your letters many many times before bedtime. I'm proud of what you've accomplished so far. Who would've expected my little girl to grow up to be such an exellent gardener? You must got that from your father, haha! :P  
>I feel very bad for missing your 18th birthday. 18 is such a milestone! Atsou and I both would've loved to spend that day with you, but from what I've heard, you've made a lot of really sweet friends so it must've been a fun party anyway! :)<br>However, I have great news for you. I've saved up and this summer, Atsou and I will finally be able to visit you on that lovely island! :D We'll be arriving the 23rd of July and we'll stay until August 12th. That makes 20 days of family fun! :)**

**We cannot wait to see you again, Ameena! Fortunately, it won't be long! :)  
>Take care, and once again, we love you,<br>Mama and Atsou  
>'<strong>

''What's that grin on your face?'' Leafos teasingly asked.

''My family,'' Ameena murmured blissfully. ''They're coming. I'll be seeing them again in a few months! Can you believe it? You guys are going to meet my family!''


	26. Author's Note

**Autor's Note**

First of all, I want to make a disclaimer.

I DON'T OWN VIVA PIÑATA. RARE DOES.  
>FELLOW WRITERS, YOU ARE FREE TO USE MY OCS, BUT I SERIOUSLY DOUBT IF YOU WANT TO! ;)<p>

Secondly, I'm fully aware that author's notes as chapters aren't allowed on this site, but I just prefer to put ONE bigger author's note at the end than a shorter one in every chapter, so, eh... screw the rules! :P I don't really mind if a moderator deletes this though, it's not THAT important to me either.

Phew, I'm glad I finally finished _Roots of a Legend_! :D It was a very fun story to work on, don't get me wrong - but it turned out about 20,000 words longer than I was planning! So if you managed to read this monsterously big thing 'til the end, then props for you! :D

I'm not a native speaker of English. I hope my grammar didn't bother you too much! Feel free to correct me - I don't mind, in fact, I appreciate it very much. :)

You may be curious to know what I'm going to write (or what I'm, in fact, already writing on!) not that _Roots of a Legend _is finished.

Well, _Roots of a Legend _is the second part of the _Legend Trilogy._ The last _Legend _story will be called_ The Legendary Couple _- and as the title suggests, it'll be the most romantic story of all three!

My next Viva Piñata story will not be _The Legendary Couple_, though, but a shorter fic called _Join the Ruff Side_, which will evolve around on how one of my OCs, Hafez (Leafos' secret boyfriend, mentioned in _A Night at Orchid Valley_) befriends a local Ruffian and is being seduced to addopt the Ruffian lifestyle as well...

If you're interested, stay tuned! :D

Anyhow I'm making this note waaay to long. Special thanks go out to **Epic Laughter **and **TLOSpyrogirl **for the reviews and support, but honestly, I'm grateful for all of you who've read this! :D

Lots of Love,  
>Tiigerliily<p> 


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